Nearly all European organizations (99%) feel pressure to scale artificial intelligence in customer experience, yet only 38% have a clear governance approach, according to a new survey of 200 senior leaders. This widening gap between AI adoption and oversight creates immediate compliance and trust risks for customer-facing teams operating in multilingual markets.
Speed outpaces compliance
Independent research firm Vanson Bourne conducted the study for CallMiner, surveying leaders across Western and Central Europe. The data shows 59% of organizations scale AI quickly, but only 39% believe compliance keeps pace.
Seven in ten organizations admit speed is prioritized over compliance requirements. This occurs even though 94% agree AI must be applied intelligently rather than just quickly.
Frank Sherlock, VP of International at CallMiner, said, "As AI becomes more embedded in customer interactions, organisations need confidence that it's delivering the right outcomes consistently, fairly, and compliantly." He added that without visibility into real customer conversations, leaders risk creating blind spots that undermine trust.
Trust and multilingual challenges
Trust has become the primary constraint on AI adoption in customer-facing roles. Employee confidence (72%) and customer willingness to engage with AI (71%) directly accelerate adoption, while accuracy and consistency drive 70% of customer trust.
Multilingual environments add friction, with 64% of organizations citing multiple languages as a major challenge. Nearly all organizations (96%) use AI in these environments, and inconsistent behavior across languages quickly undermines confidence among both staff and customers.
Organizations are increasingly turning to external partners to manage these AI for Customer Support initiatives. Seventy-one percent report that external technology vendors help accelerate adoption, and 66% trust external solutions more than internal ones for compliance as regulations evolve.
Why this matters for customer support professionals
Customer support professionals will bear the immediate consequences of these AI blind spots. When automated tools fail to provide accurate or explainable outcomes across different languages, frontline staff must step in to manage escalated complaints and compliance failures. Support teams should demand clear escalation paths and transparency from employers about how AI decisions are audited, ensuring they have the authority to override automated systems when customer trust is at risk.
Your membership also unlocks:
