4 Contact Center AI Trends for 2026

In the last few years, AI has gone from a buzzword to a boardroom imperative. For contact center leaders, the question is no longer if AI should be adopted – it’s how fast it can deliver value.

But here’s the reality: while AI promises transformation, many organizations are still stuck in experimentation, struggling to move from proof of concept. In a world where MIT found that 95% of AI pilots fail, the pressure to deliver outcomes is real and growing.

The analysis below is based on a survey of 500 contact center leaders to uncover their key AI challenges and offers actionable strategies for starting small and scaling with confidence. We hope these insights help you navigate your journey to joining the 5% of successful AI projects

Where contact centers are deploying AI today

Businesses are prioritizing the deployment of AI for customer-facing workflows to enhance self-service and agent efficiency.

However, less than a third (30%) are using AI to help generate insights, and just over a quarter (27%) are utilizing AI within knowledge management. There are significant opportunities for businesses to differentiate from their competitors in areas that are ripe for AI investment.

Businesses are struggling to accelerate ROI

For 66% of businesses, it took more than six months to start seeing ROI from their recent AI implementations.

With pressure on contact center leaders to deliver results from AI projects, many should take note of competitors – and the vendors – that have proven AI outcomes within months, not years.

AI is mission critical for contact centers

Most contact center leaders (62%) say the successful implementation of AI is critical to their roles.

For the combined 38% who are either ambivalent or unfazed by the implementation of AI, there is still time. Can you afford to play catch-up to with the 62% who recognize the urgent need to successfully adopt and deploy AI across the contact center?

The real-world consequences of AI Failure

Just over a quarter (27%) of contact center leaders say their job is at risk if they fail to deliver results.

Vendor selection is therefore critical. Contact center leaders can’t risk running more AI experiments. They need to use solutions that have AI business outcomes validated by implementations at leading companies.

Platform integration is the biggest AI challenge

The greatest challenges for CX leaders seeking approval for AI projects is overcoming integration complexity with existing systems (54%) and navigating data and privacy concerns (49%).

To succeed, partner with vendors who have extensive experience deploying AI in complex contact center environments. Success isn’t just about adopting the latest large language models (LLMs) – it’s about integrating AI into existing workflows and ecosystems. Prioritize open architectures that support seamless integrations, whether your solutions are cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid, to ensure AI investments deliver faster, stronger outcomes.

The common pitfalls of AI implementations

Once a project is approved, data accuracy and protection (53%) remains a challenge during implementation, followed closely by scaling after proof of concept (47%).

To ensure success at scale, contact center leaders should start small, piloting AI in specific workflows, validating the outcomes such as reduced handle time or improved customer satisfaction, and then expanding the scope of the deployment.

Despite setbacks, AI spend on the rise

Most contact center leaders (61%) plan to increase AI investment. However, 26% expect budgets to remain the same, while 13% are cutting back.

With 95% of AI pilots failing, it could be poor results can stall innovation. This underscores the importance of starting small and validating outcomes with a vendor experienced in delivering measurable AI outcomes.

The top AI priorities for the year ahead

Over the next 12 months, improving customer satisfaction and agent efficiency are the top priorities for contact center leaders.

However, many are focusing on broader goals: increasing revenue and improving management efficiency, while containing more customer interactions ranked fifth. This signals a shift toward more diverse AI use cases, with leaders seeking measurable outcomes across business functions.

IT and AI lead contact center investments

Over the next 12 months, the top two budget priorities for contact centers are data and IT infrastructure and AI/automation – a clear signal that leaders are doubling down on technology. In contrast, personnel and staffing were selected least often, underscoring a strategic shift toward contact center automation over headcount expansion.

This marks a pivotal moment: contact centers are no longer just exploring AI; they’re building around it. But to see results, they must focus on deploying solutions that deliver business outcomes and future-proof the customer experience.

Contact center leaders face mounting pressure to deliver measurable results from AI investments. With rising expectations, tighter timelines, and job security on the line, the stakes have never been higher.

While many organizations are still navigating the complexities of AI, Verint customers are already seeing outcomes.

Verint empowers contact centers to:

Start small and scale – With a modular approach to AI and automation, Verint helps organizations validate outcomes quickly and expand with confidence.

See results in weeks, not years – Verint’s AI solutions are designed for rapid deployment and fast time-to-value, helping leaders meet tight ROI deadlines.

Integrate seamlessly – Verint’s open architecture is built for compatibility, making it easy to deploy AI alongside existing contact center technology.

Deliver real outcomes – Whether it’s increasing agent capacity, generating more revenue, or improving CX metrics like customer satisfaction, Verint customers are already using AI to generate millions in measurable business impact across industries.

In a landscape where 95% of AI projects fail, Verint stands apart. Not just as a technology provider, but as a trusted partner in delivering the outcomes that matter most. The future of contact center AI isn’t about potential. It’s about proven outcomes. And Verint is already delivering on that promise.