The contact centre is undergoing a transformation. Faced with rising customer expectations and intensifying workforce pressures, these hubs of customer interaction are rapidly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) to keep pace. The latest State of the Contact Centre 2025 report reveals that 98 percent of contact centres are already leveraging (or at least considering) AI, and many are seeing meaningful improvements in efficiency and performance. However, for all its promise, AI's success in this space depends not simply on implementation, but on the strategies that guide it.
AI is no longer the technology of a distant future - it's already embedded in the daily operations of contact centres. And while 31 percent of organisations report significant performance gains, and another 33 percent cite minor improvements, it's also clear that most centres are still playing catch-up when it comes to optimising their AI systems. Many have embraced automation to meet customer demand for round-the-clock service, speed, and personalisation. However, critical gaps still remain.
For instance, while automation metrics have become central KPIs, 72 percent of organisations are not investing in bot analytics - the very tools that can evaluate and improve their AI. This signals a mismatch between ambitions and actions. At the same time, customer interactions aren't getting easier. In fact, 61percent of contact centres say their frontline teams are dealing with more complex and emotionally charged calls than before.
This shift underscores a crucial truth: AI is not reducing the need for human agents - it's changing their role. As AI handles simpler tasks, agents are left to manage the most difficult and nuanced customer interactions. Yet, only 36 percent of organisations are prioritising training in soft skills like emotional intelligence and social interaction, leaving many agents underprepared for the realities of today's customer service environment.
Beyond these operational challenges lies a deeper organisational disconnect. Managers recognise the importance of employee engagement, career development, and training, but many contact centres are failing to deliver on these fronts. As a result, job satisfaction suffers, and attrition rises. Without a parallel investment in people, even the most advanced AI strategies risk falling short.
To build a contact centre that truly harnesses AI, organisations must adopt a more holistic approach - one that combines technological innovation with human-centric design. Transitioning to cloud-based platforms is one essential step. Currently, just 41 percent of contact centres are fully in the cloud, limiting their ability to scale AI solutions, integrate data, and respond rapidly to change.
Another critical factor is agent enablement. The most effective contact centres view AI as a tool to empower agents – rather than one to replace them. That means providing ongoing training in both AI tools and interpersonal skills, rethinking workflows to support collaboration between humans and machines, and ensuring agents feel supported, not sidelined, by automation.
Equally important is building trust in AI. This starts with transparency - explaining how AI is used, ensuring it operates ethically, and making its decision-making processes understandable. Customers and employees alike need to feel confident in the systems supporting their experiences.
Finally, contact centres need to ensure that AI aligns with broader business goals and customer expectations. Efficiency matters, but not at the expense of experience. Customers want support that is not just fast and available, but also personalised and empathetic. Likewise, agents need tools that make their jobs easier and more rewarding, not more transactional.
What emerges from the State of the Contact Centre 2025 report is a clear message: the future of the contact centre is hybrid. Technology and people must evolve together. AI can drive incredible gains in speed, accuracy, and availability, but the human element remains irreplaceable, especially when it comes to complex problem-solving and emotional engagement.
Contact centres that succeed in this next chapter won't be the ones that deploy the most AI, but rather those that do so with genuine purpose. They'll invest not just in smarter systems, but in smarter strategies, supporting both technology and talent to deliver standout customer experiences.
The time to act is now, because in an era where customers expect everything at their fingertips, service that blends efficiency with empathy will set the best contact centres apart.
