Just one in ten customer experience leaders say AI has had a significant impact on their operations, yet nearly two-thirds plan to increase AI spending over the next year, according to a new report from CCW Europe. The gap between investment and measurable results is widening, putting pressure on customer support teams to prove the value of their AI initiatives.
The AI in CX report, based on insights from over 100 senior CX professionals, found that 57% of leaders saw limited or no impact from AI in the past year. Only 11% reported widespread impact, and no organisation said they had achieved enterprise-level transformation. Eighteen percent said AI had no impact at all.
Despite this, 62% expect to increase AI budgets over the next 12 months, with 17% planning growth of more than 25%. One in ten said investment decisions are on hold until they see clearer returns.
Why AI pilots struggle to scale
Forty-two percent of organisations blamed a lack of capacity when moving from pilots to scaled operations. Pilots often demonstrate a technology can work in theory, but rolling it out across real-world business processes reveals challenges that weren't apparent in a controlled test.
The difficulty of measuring AI's value
Twenty-one percent of respondents struggle to convert efficiency gains into tangible financial outcomes, and 18% cite difficulty demonstrating ROI beyond a single use case. Simon Hall, Industry Analyst at CCW Europe, said, "There is a clear contradiction between aspirations for AI and what it is currently delivering. Despite more investment in AI, many organisations can't demonstrate measurable change or quantify the results. It's challenging to put a financial value on time saved or reduced human input required to complete a process, and even more challenging to clearly articulate how AI is impacting the metrics that matter like satisfaction, retention and revenue growth."
For customer support teams, bridging this gap requires practical frameworks-resources like AI for Customer Support offer guidance on setting measurable goals and evaluating ROI.
Leaving the AI honeymoon phase
Hall said, "As we leave the AI honeymoon phase, organisations are under more pressure to move from making decisions based on FOMO or vague promises of intangible time saving to concrete ways of demonstrating ROI and value. A key part of this is setting realistic and achievable parameters around AI including what you are trying to achieve and how you will measure success." He added that only 13% of organisations currently prioritise senior-level involvement, which is essential for the systemic change needed to redesign operating systems, governance, and culture.
Why this matters for customer support
Customer support teams are often the first to deploy AI tools like chatbots and automated ticket routing. The report's findings underscore the need to define success metrics before launch and ensure pilot projects have a clear path to full-scale implementation. Without measurable outcomes, support leaders risk losing budget and executive trust. The takeaway: demand specificity in AI goals, involve senior stakeholders early, and redesign workflows to capture the efficiencies AI promises.
Your membership also unlocks:
