Consumers are growing more accepting of artificial intelligence when interacting with businesses, but they overwhelmingly prefer human interactions, according to Metrigy's Customer Experience Optimization 2025-26 report.
"The bar is always going higher with customer service expectations, with AI helping and analyzing behind the scenes,” says Robin Gareiss, CEO and principal analyst of Metrigy, in a statement. "But consumers, particularly those 45 and older, haven't fully embraced AI agents, and although they are generally favorable about technology in customer service, they continue to prefer the human touch."
Metrigy also found that AI is the top issue at hand with both businesses and consumers: 84.9 percent of consumers prefer a human agent over an AI agent, and even if they were assured their issue would be resolved with either, 80.1 percent still say they prefer a human. The drivers for interacting with humans are: their ability to understand the issue, assurance their issue would be resolved properly, and empathy, among other reasons.
That's not to say consumers won't use AI, though In fact, 45.5 percent say they use AI in select circumstances, up from 39.2 percent in 2024, and 13 percent prefer them, up from 11.6 percent in 2024.
AI is useful for more tactical reasons, including directing them to the right person, shipping/order confirmations, and scheduling appointments, among other purposes, according to the research firm, which also noted that retail, utilities, and financial services companies are using AI most effectively.
Metrigy also found that overall customer service quality improved from 2024 to 2025, with 64.2 percent of consumers rating the service they received as good or excellent, up from 55.3 percent a year ago. Retail and financial services provide the best CX and telco and government deliver the worst, according to study participants.
Other findings in Metrigy's study included the following:
- There is a clear divide in customer satisfaction based on age. Younger consumers are two times more likely to see a positive impact of technology on their interactions.
- On average, consumers stop doing business with companies after three bad experiences, and 38 percent will leave after just one bad experience.
- Most consumers find proactive outreach valuable, but they have limits on how much outreach they want to receive. This varies by purpose of the outreach.
- Most (64.1 percent) have seen an impact of AI on customer service; only 61.7 percent say that impact was positive.
- Top concerns related to AI use revolve around trust issues, specifically data privacy and malicious use of technology.
- Phone continues to be the top way consumers interact with companies.