Remember when “AI in customer experience” meant a chatbot that didn’t understand you, made you repeat yourself, and still couldn't connect you to a human? We’ve all rage-smashed “0” on a keypad trying to escape that particular black hole.

But as Ro Sinclair, a seasoned contact center expert at 8x8, shared in his fireside chat with CX Network’s Chloe Chappell, that limited view of AI is fading fast. The companies getting CX right in 2025 are the ones thinking way beyond bots—and into empathy, proactivity, and personalization at scale.

Here’s what they had to say about AI’s real potential in customer experience.

From “How can I help you?” to “We already did”.

AI has matured. It's no longer just reactive—it’s proactive, predictive, and increasingly human-aware. Ro explained how AI’s leap in natural language processing and machine learning now enables businesses to recognize customer intent and act before the question is even asked.

“AI is better at understanding and responding to customer behavior,” Ro said. “It enables more personalized dialogue—and it can act before the customer even asks.”

That’s not just smart service. That’s anticipatory CX.

Ro also emphasized AI’s value in streamlining operations, reducing wait times, and cutting costs by automating repetitive tasks—allowing agents to focus on what really matters: complex interactions that need a human touch.

Sentiment is the secret sauce.

While automation might get the spotlight, Ro pointed to something even more transformative: real-time sentiment analysis. “Understanding customer emotions in real time? That’s the game changer,” he said. “You can route negative sentiment to experienced agents or prompt a de-escalation strategy mid-call.”

AI can now pick up on frustration, sarcasm, or urgency—not just what the customer says, but how they say it. And then respond accordingly.

Chloe agreed: “The last thing people want is to repeat themselves to a chatbot or agent who has no context. That’s where AI sentiment awareness makes the difference.”

It’s empathy, at scale.

The omnichannel mind-meld.

Voice, chat, SMS, email, social—customers are everywhere. And they expect the brand to be too. Ro highlighted how AI can unify these touchpoints to create a continuous customer journey.

“If I chatted last week, emailed yesterday, and called today, AI should treat it as one story,” he said. “That means no more repeating myself, no more disconnected handoffs. Just a cohesive, personalized experience.”

That level of orchestration isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s the new expectation.

Human + machine > human vs. machine.

Where do you draw the line between AI and human interaction?

Ro had a clear answer: “Let AI handle the mundane—password resets, order updates. Let humans do what only they can: show empathy, handle nuance, and solve complex problems.”

AI doesn’t replace your agents—it elevates them. Tools like Agent Assist give agents real-time insights, context, and guidance while they’re on calls, helping them deliver faster and better outcomes.

But Ro also stressed the importance of seamless handoffs between AI and humans. When a conversation moves from bot to agent, there should be no awkward reset. The agent should have full context and pick up exactly where the customer left off.

“That’s where you connect AI and people,” he said. “It’s a hand-in-hand experience.”

Data, dashboards, and digital empathy.

Ro emphasized that AI’s success depends on the quality of the data it runs on. With the right infrastructure, AI can pull together behavioral, transactional, and demographic data to build deep customer profiles. This powers personalization that’s contextual, not creepy.

He also championed real-time dashboards for agents, giving them insight into past interactions, current sentiment, and next-best actions.

And it all ties back to results. The impact of well-deployed AI is measurable:

  • Higher customer satisfaction (CSAT)
  • Better Net Promoter Scores (NPS)
  • Faster resolutions and improved conversion rates
  • Increased agent engagement and satisfaction

“If it’s not making your agents’ jobs easier, you need to re-evaluate how you’re implementing AI,” Ro said.

Don’t get left behind.

So what happens if you don’t embrace AI? “You’ll lose customers,” Ro said. “We’re all consumers. If a brand doesn’t meet your expectations, you go somewhere that does. AI is how companies stay competitive.”

Legacy tools like rigid IVRs and siloed systems don’t stand up to today’s expectations. Ro encouraged businesses to modernize—not for the sake of tech, but for the sake of customers.

“If you’re not using AI,” he added, “your customers will move to companies that are.”

Final word from Ro (and Chloe).

AI isn’t just a CX upgrade—it’s a strategic imperative. And it’s not about replacing humans. It’s about making them more effective, more empathetic, and more empowered.

“AI is a tool,” Ro said. “Just like quality management or speech analytics. It’s here to assist and enhance human efforts—not replace them.”

Chloe agreed: “The best customer experiences today blend automation with authenticity. And they do it in a way that feels natural—not forced.”

In short, AI doesn’t diminish humanity in CX. It enables it.

Want to see what real CX AI looks like?

Talk to us at 8x8. From sentiment analysis and virtual agents to agent coaching and proactive outreach, we’re helping leading brands deliver intelligent, empathetic experiences—at scale.