CX Files: Discussion CX In 2026 – The Predictions

Key Take Aways

1. Industry experts emphasise the persistent hype surrounding AI, with notable confusion among buyers regarding its actual capabilities and real-world deployment.
2. Market stagnation continues into 2025, with limited tangible differentiation among service providers despite widespread AI discourse.
3. Buyers are increasingly focused on extracting quicker value from AI and leveraging it to deliver higher operational efficiency, although widespread impact remains limited.
4. Organisations are underutilising AI for customer-facing enhancements and tend to avoid openly highlighting innovations such as QA automation or customer interaction improvements.
5. A necessary industry realignment involves providers clearly articulating the realised benefits of AI-driven solutions to bolster client confidence.
6. There is a significant scepticism about the pace of Gen AI’s transformative impact on customer experience, with voice remaining the dominant engagement channel in 2025.
7. Anticipated progress includes AI pilots moving into production use, with a focus on end-to-end processes and full agentic integration in 2026.
8. Growing competition from in-house GBS and GCC teams presents a strategic challenge for traditional BPO models, potentially leading to service localisation or insourcing.
9. Segmentation within the market will intensify, distinguishing smaller, agile providers leveraging innovation from larger, more cumbersome organisations.
10. The importance of outcome-based pricing models will increase as BPOs seek to demonstrate clear, quantifiable value to clients.
11. Differentiation through deep subject matter expertise in specific verticals or functions will become a competitive advantage in 2026.
12. Potential risks include the emergence of an AI bubble, which could adversely affect both providers and buyers if market expectations are misaligned with actual technological maturity.

Key Statistics

• Approximately 63–64% of revenue in the BPO sector was generated through voice channels in 2025.
• The increase in AI usage largely remains in internal processes such as QA, agent support, and workforce management, rather than customer-facing areas.

Key Discussion Points

• The pervasive AI hype in 2025 and the resulting confusion among market participants.
• The stagnation of customer experience innovation despite significant AI investment.
• How contact centres are hesitant to promote AI’s benefits, despite notable improvements in operational metrics like call review rates.
• The real impact of Gen AI has been slower than anticipated, particularly in customer-facing applications.
• The importance of companies setting realistic expectations and communicating future capabilities transparently.
• The emergence of AI pilots transforming into mainstream production, with a focus on end-to-end process integration.
• The threat from service providers building in-house GCC capability and the implications for traditional outsourcing.
• Market segmentation leading to smaller, innovative providers gaining prominence.
• The shift towards outcome-based pricing to demonstrate tangible ROI.
• The importance of differentiation based on industry and function-specific expertise.
• The need for the industry to evolve buying practices, moving away from traditional RFP approaches towards value-based conversations.
• The potential for an AI bubble to burst in 2026 and the risks this poses for market stability.

Podcast Description

This podcast features industry-leading experts discussing developments within the customer experience and BPO sectors during 2025, assessing key trends, challenges, and emerging opportunities for 2026. It offers strategic insights into technology adoption, market dynamics, differentiation strategies, and evolving buyer-supplier relationships, providing senior managers in the financial services industry with valuable forward-looking perspectives. The conversation also examines how perceptions of AI impact service delivery and market competitiveness, alongside potential risks such as a market bubble, making it a vital resource for decision-makers aiming to navigate an increasingly complex landscape.