Skip to content
South African Live
Menu
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Politics
  • Fashion
  • Sports
  • Tech
  • Business
  • About us
Menu

The gap between AI hype and CX reality is widening

Posted on February 26, 2026
49

The gap between AI hype and CX reality is widening CallMiner

Tech companies are under intense pressure. Renewals are harder to secure, customers expect instant solutions and AI-native competitors are moving fast.

Customer experience and customer success teams are tackling more complex interactions than ever – whilst being told to do more with less.

Yet, according to the latest CallMiner CX Landscape Report, a paradox is emerging: AI adoption is surging, but manual processes in CX are actually increasing.

AI adoption is rising – but readiness isn’t

Eighty-one percent of tech organisations have implemented AI in some form, up from 58% last year. Nearly all see it as critical for both CX and employee performance.

However, 70% admit they’re using AI without mature governance structures. Without strong frameworks to ensure data quality, accuracy and compliance, execution lags behind intent.

Manual CX analysis is still the norm

Surprisingly, manual CX data analysis has increased 17% year on year, while automated analysis has fallen. This slows down:

  • Real-time agent assistance
  • Predictive churn detection
  • Faster product issue identification

Despite having advanced tools, many teams still struggle with adoption, integration and aligning data across departments.

Survey-heavy feedback creates blind spots

Most tech companies still rely on solicited feedback, Net Promoter Scores, CSAT (customer satisfaction score) and structured surveys, often overlooking unsolicited data from calls, chats, reviews and social media – early warning signs that could prevent churn. Leaders see potential in pairing smarter, personalised surveys with these unsolicited signals.

How AI is helping today

Even with these challenges, AI is already delivering value. The top use cases include:

  • Enabling self-service support to resolve issues faster;
  • Improving agent training and coaching; and
  • Personalising customer outreach.

Encouragingly, nine in ten leaders say they can already measure ROI from AI.

AI is accelerating CX for tech companies, so why are manual processes still rising?

Governance, risk and employee experience are key

Concerns persist over siloed data, compliance risks and whether AI can capture nuance in customer interactions. Governance structures often lack clear accountability and risk management.

Leaders also recognise that employee experience directly influences CX. Real-time guidance, training and AI-powered performance scoring can free managers from manual review and enable tailored coaching at scale.

The path forward

The most effective organisations are:

  • Automating CX insights with conversation intelligence;
  • Enhancing coaching via AI scoring and real-time tools;
  • Combining solicited and unsolicited feedback for a complete customer view; and
  • Sharing insights across all customer-facing teams.

AI can help tech companies work faster and smarter – but only with strong governance, robust data foundations and a commitment to empowering employees.

The leaders who close the gap between AI ambition and operational readiness will be the ones delivering faster, smarter, and more human customer experiences.

Learn more

Tech sector leads in AI investment, yet many still rely on manual analysis, solicited feedback, and disconnected systems. Learn more by downloading Tech Leads in AI Adoption, Lags in Turning CX Data into Action.

Recent Posts

  • Passion Java confirms divorce
  • Ex-Pirates star explains why Sipho Mbule is not playing
  • Zille rolls out red carpet for ActionSA defectors as Mashaba threatens to fire rogue members
  • Spur lifts profit 13% despite FMD squeeze
  • YouTuber Owamie reflects on ‘tough week’ after burying grandmother

First established in 2020 by iReport Media Group, southafricanlive.co.za has evolved to become one of the most-read websites in South Africa. Published by iReport Media Group since 2020, find out all about us right here.

We bring you the latest breaking news updates, from South Africa and the African continent. South African Live is an independent, no agenda and no bias online news disruptor that goes beyond the news and behind the headlines. We believe what sets us apart is that we deliver news differently. While we hold ourselves to the utmost journalistic integrity of being truthful, we encourage a writing style that is acerbic and conversational, when appropriate.

LATEST NEWS

  • Passion Java confirms divorce
  • Ex-Pirates star explains why Sipho Mbule is not playing
  • Zille rolls out red carpet for ActionSA defectors as Mashaba threatens to fire rogue members
  • Spur lifts profit 13% despite FMD squeeze
  • YouTuber Owamie reflects on ‘tough week’ after burying grandmother

Menu

  • Entertainment
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Tech
  • Fashion
  • Sports
  • About us
©2026 South African Live | Design: Newspaperly WordPress Theme