26 digital customer experience stats to know for 2026

In 2025, the digital customer experience (CX) landscape was defined by extensive AI investment. Yet, while many organizations spent the last year pouring resources into AI initiatives, many found their progress stalled by legacy systems, data compliance hurdles and a persistent shortage of technical talent. The lesson of 2025 was clear: technology alone isn't a silver bullet. Success in 2026 requires a sophisticated blend of high-tech precision and high-touch human expertise.

To help you navigate this complex terrain, we’ve compiled 26 essential statistics to help guide you into 2026. From the critical need for "AI-ready" data to the enduring power of the human connection, these numbers provide a roadmap for building on last year's breakthroughs while avoiding its most common pitfalls.

Generative AI continues to drive customer service improvement but CX leaders face adoption challenges

• 71% of leaders identified generative AI (GenAI) as a key driver for improving customer service, and 36% planned to allocate over $4 million to GenAI initiatives last year. (Statista in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• Despite increased investment, leaders faced significant AI adoption roadblocks with key barriers including high costs (44%), challenges with data compliance (36%) and technical infrastructure limitations that prevented the effective scaling of CX efforts (34%). (Statista in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• While 90% of brands deployed or planned to deploy AI last year, 42% of CX leaders cited legacy systems/processes/tools as their top operational hurdle. (Execs In The Know in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• Data accuracy and bias continue to be top of mind for 45% of leaders, while 40% are concerned about data privacy and confidentiality. (IBM)
• 63% of organizations either do not have or are unsure if they have the right data management practices for AI. (Gartner)
• Through 2026, it’s predicted that organizations will abandon 60% of AI projects unsupported by AI-ready data. (Gartner)
• 42% of leaders said their organization’s GenAI expertise, including in-house talent, strategic partnerships and accessible AI tools, is inadequate. (IBM)

Exceptional CX is increasingly defined by investment in trust, safety and security solutions

• Business leaders planned to increase investments in ID verification (68%), fraud detection (66%) and Know Your Customer (60%) throughout 2025. (Ryan Strategic Advisory in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• 72% of customers report a greater likelihood of engaging with a company that prioritizes trust and safety and 68% saying they would consider buying new products or services from that organization. (PWC)
• 44% of CX leaders cited compliance with government/industry regulations as the primary challenge they faced in ensuring a safe and secure digital environment for their customers. (Ryan Strategic Advisory in partnership with TELUS Digital)

Successful CX leaders recognize employee experience as a key driver for customer experience success

• Prioritizing the agent experience is a significant focus for CX leaders, with 66% viewing it as “critical/high.” (Statista in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• 31% of CX leaders cite the silos that exist between channels and teams as the primary internal obstacle to achieving their customer experience goals. (Statista in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• A critical means of learning how best to support agents is by conducting employee experience surveys, yet 30% of contact centers still do not implement them. (Deloitte)
• Disengaged employees are estimated to cost the global economy $9.6 trillion in lost productivity, a sum equivalent to roughly 9% of the world's GDP. (Gallup)

The use of "shadow AI" by enterprise employees is raising corresponding risks

• Despite organizations investing in bespoke GenAI solutions, 68% of enterprise employees say they access publicly available generative AI assistants like ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot or Google Gemini through personal accounts. (TELUS Digital)
• 57% of employees have admitted to entering sensitive information into GenAI assistants. (TELUS Digital)
• In certain industries, the use of "shadow AI" has surged year-over-year, showing an increase of up to 250%. (Zendesk)
• A significant number of employees risk data security when using public GenAI assistants: for example, 21% shared customer information including names, contact details, order history, chat logs, emails and recorded calls. (TELUS Digital)
• Despite the known risks, only 24% of employees report that their company requires mandatory training on using AI assistants, 44% indicate their company either lacks AI guidelines and policies or they are unaware if such rules exist and 42% of employees state that there are no repercussions for failing to follow the company’s AI guidelines. (TELUS Digital)

Despite the rise of technology, human-in-the-loop remains critical in CX processes

• Despite increased automation in trust, safety and security processes, the majority of organizations continue to involve humans, with 79% using humans for identity verification, 61% for Know Your Customer processes and 56% for fraud detection. (Ryan Strategic Advisory in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• 54% of CX leaders believe up to 60% of customer engagements are still too complex for self-service or AI solutions, emphasizing the importance of blending human and technology support. (Execs In The Know in partnership with TELUS Digital)
• 71% of Gen Zers and 94% of Baby Boomers believe live calls are the quickest and easiest way to reach customer care and explain their issues. (McKinsey)
• Rising customer expectations and needs are projected to increase call volumes over the next year or two, according to 57% of CX leaders. (McKinsey)

Customer behavior is trending away from traditional apps and toward the use of AI assistants

• 32% of consumers are replacing at least one app with an AI assistant such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini. (TELUS Digital)
• 62% of consumers have increased their use of AI agents for convenience, 54% for speed and 53% for the better overall experience. (TELUS Digital)
• In 2026, 36% of consumers anticipate relying on AI assistants more than traditional apps for most common daily activities, including planning, shopping and organization. (TELUS Digital)

Realize your digital CX transformation potential

Success in this evolving landscape belongs to the organizations that can turn these insights into actionable, trusted customer journeys. TELUS Digital is ready to help you navigate these complexities, from bridging legacy gaps to scaling your digital transformation with integrity. Let’s work together to achieve new levels of service excellence in 2026 — reach out today to speak with one of our experts.