Glance has released its 2026 CX Trends Report, revealing that while 2025 saw record investment in automation, customers still want one thing above all: trustworthy resolution, no matter the channel.
Based on a survey of more than 600 U.S. consumers, the report exposes a sharp disconnect between AI’s promise of efficiency and the reality of customer frustration. Despite faster response times, most consumers said the quality of their support experiences had deteriorated.
Among the findings, 75% of respondents said they had received a fast AI-driven reply that still left them dissatisfied, while 68% ranked “getting a complete resolution” as the most important factor in a service interaction. Nearly 90% reported reduced loyalty when human assistance was removed from the process, underscoring the enduring role of human empathy in digital experiences.
Only 7% of consumers said they rarely or never had to repeat themselves when switching between channels — a sign of lingering fragmentation in many companies’ omnichannel systems. More than one-third (34%) said AI support “made things harder,” while a majority favoured human-first pathways for complex issues.
Tom Martin, CEO of Glance, said the past year’s obsession with speed and automation had left customers disappointed. “The industry spent much of 2025 chasing speed and automation,” he said. “But our research shows that customers felt increasingly disappointed by digital systems that were supposed to help them. The future isn’t AI replacing people, it’s AI strengthening the foundation so humans can deliver clarity, empathy, and trust at the moments that matter.”
The report also highlights positive adoption patterns. Some 44% of consumers said they always try self-service first, with a further 50% doing so at least sometimes — evidence of strong demand for AI-enabled support when it works well.
Heather Nightingale, Glance’s Senior Director of Product Marketing, said the report is “honest about what failed” in the 2025 pivot toward AI. “Leaders can’t build credible AI strategies without addressing the foundation first,” she said. “2026 will belong to companies that refocus on resolution, rehumanize digital experiences, and use AI as a co-pilot rather than a gatekeeper.”
The report identifies several priorities for CX leaders entering 2026, including AI designed around clean, consistent data; intent-aware automation that recognises when to escalate; and omnichannel systems capable of maintaining context across touchpoints. Personalisation that “feels intentional, not invasive” and empathy as a “loyalty multiplier” also feature among the year’s defining themes.
As organisations finalise their 2026 customer experience strategies, Glance’s findings deliver a clear warning: technology alone cannot create trust. The companies that win loyalty in the coming year will be those that close the gap between AI efficiency and human assurance — ensuring automation enhances, rather than erodes, customer confidence.
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