True Customer Empowerment will Define the Future of CX

Acxiom’s 2026 CX Trends research explores both common ground and crucial gaps between brands’ AI investment priorities and customer expectations.

As AI rapidly reshapes the CX landscape, a new question is emerging: are brands using AI to truly empower customers, or simply to automate them? 

With expectations evolving faster than ever, understanding this balance has become crucial for every organisation aiming to stay relevant in 2026 and beyond.

Acxiom’s newly released 2026 CX Trends Report, “The Dawn of AI-Curated Experience,” brings fresh clarity to this shift. Based on insights from 4,000 consumers and 600 business leaders across the US and UK, the research highlights a growing gap in AI expectations.

While brands are rapidly investing in AI to automate and guide customer journeys, consumers are demanding that this technology empower them, rather than dictate their experience.

AI’s Rapid Influence on CX

The report finds agreement between brands and consumers on the speed with which AI is reshaping CX, with 93% of brands and 70% of consumers believing it’s moving faster than they’re ready. To help navigate this rapid shift, the study uncovers critical insights on how each group perceives the role of AI in CX. 

For example, while 83% of consumers are open to brands using AI to influence their decisions, a firm 65% state that if AI decides for them, it stops being their experience. 

The research highlights a core tension between AI-driven efficiency and the human desire for agency that will be critical for the 79% of brands that expect AI-curated experiences to transform their sector in the next 12 months.

“The paradox between AI’s potential and the customer’s desire for control isn’t a roadblock; it’s the next great challenge for brands to solve,” said Jarrod Martin, CEO at Acxiom. “This report illustrates that the future of customer experience isn’t about replacing human insights but empowering them.” 

“Our focus is to help brands simplify complex martech ecosystems and optimise AI to orchestrate experiences that are not just automated, but are also personal, trusted, and deeply human. That’s how you put data to work.”

Key Findings from the Report

Key findings from the report illustrate the gap between brand strategy and consumer sentiment:

• The Control Paradox: 

When AI guides decisions, consumers’ top priority is the ability to retain control. For brands, control is the lowest priority, with transparency being their primary focus.

• The Effort Disconnect: 

73% of consumers believe a standout experience is one that requires minimal effort. In contrast, 74% of brands worry that a completely frictionless experience risks being forgettable and less distinctive.

• The Empathy Gap: 

61% of brands say empathetic interactions will transform their sector in 2026, with 81% believing emotionally intelligent AI will “win the moments that matter.” But consumers remain wary. 

Only 27% are comfortable with AI using their typed or spoken words to respond to how they feel, and 38% do not want AI to read their emotions at all.

• Conversational AI Is Not Yet the Default: 

85% of brands fear they will “vanish from the conversation” if they don’t adapt to voice and chat interfaces. However, only 30% of consumers currently choose these interfaces for everyday support.

Conclusion: Five AI-Powered Trends Redefining CX

The report, “The Dawn of AI-Curated Experience,” provides a comprehensive analysis of five key AI-powered trends shaping the future of CX: Conversational Interfaces, An Instructional World, Effortless Access, Platform Unification, and Empathetic Interactions.

“The brands that win in the age of AI-curated experiences won’t be those who adopt AI the fastest, but those who do it with the clearest intention,” said Graham Wilkinson, Head of Innovation and AI at Acxiom. 

“Success requires a privacy-first approach and a unified data strategy that allows you to listen to customer signals in real time. The goal is to use AI to make interactions more meaningful, not more mechanical.” 

“It’s about delivering empowerment and value at every touchpoint, which is only possible when your data and technology are seamlessly connected.”

As AI accelerates at an unprecedented pace, one principle stands out: true customer empowerment will define the future of CX. Brands that connect data, intelligence and experience seamlessly will be positioned to deliver trust, value and meaningful interactions—every time.

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