Why 50% of UAE Consumers Say AI Is Not Meeting CX Expectations
Recent findings from the ServiceNow Consumer Voice Report 2025 reveal a significant gap between AI capabilities and consumer expectations in the UAE. Despite advances in artificial intelligence, over half of UAE consumers feel AI falls short in delivering satisfying customer experiences. This sentiment stems mainly from AI's struggle with emotional intelligence.
In fact, 68% of UAE consumers prefer interacting with human agents for customer support. They point to AI's limitations in understanding emotional cues, context, and informal language. Specifically:
- 54% say AI fails to recognize emotional cues.
- 51% believe AI agents have a limited grasp of context.
- 51% say AI often misunderstands slang and idioms.
- 64% associate repetitive or scripted responses with AI interactions.
These factors contribute to a trust gap, especially when consumers face urgent or complex issues. While AI chatbots are accepted for routine tasks like scheduling or package tracking, confidence drops sharply for sensitive matters such as disputing bank transactions or troubleshooting home internet problems.
Where AI Fits in Customer Support
AI isn’t outright rejected—far from it. The report shows that 76% of UAE consumers expect organizations to provide effective chatbot services. More importantly, 85% want the option for self-service problem solving, highlighting the value of AI-driven insights to anticipate customer needs.
The key is balance. AI should enhance human agents, not replace them. This means making AI more adaptive and emotionally aware, so it can seamlessly partner with humans to recommend next steps and provide meaningful assistance.
Practical Takeaways for Customer Support Professionals
- Prioritize emotional intelligence: Train AI systems to better detect and respond to emotional cues.
- Integrate AI with human agents: Use AI to handle routine queries and data analysis, freeing humans for complex or sensitive interactions.
- Offer transparent options: Always provide customers with a clear path to reach a human agent when needed.
- Use AI for speed and accuracy: Leverage AI’s strengths in quick response and accurate information to improve efficiency.
Better AI doesn't mean less AI—it means smarter AI. By addressing current pain points, organizations can turn AI into a trusted partner rather than a frustrating obstacle in customer service.
For customer support professionals looking to enhance their AI skills and better serve their customers, exploring targeted training can be invaluable. Check out Complete AI Training’s courses designed for customer support roles to gain practical knowledge on integrating AI effectively into your workflows.
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