98% of Contact Centers Are Using AI, and 61% Are Experiencing More Difficult Conversations, According to New Calabrio Research

The 2025 State of the Contact Center report shows that balancing efficiency and empathy remains a challenge in the fast-changing customer experience space, with contact centers facing dynamic changes in how they work with AI

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Calabrio, the workforce performance company, has released their annual 2025 State of the Contact Center report. The prevalence of AI use in the contact center comes as no surprise, but the fact that 61% are experiencing more difficult conversations illustrates the ongoing challenge of balancing efficiency and empathy in the fast-changing customer experience space.

Contact center decision makers have come to rely on the comprehensive annual report, which identifies emerging trends, challenges and opportunities within the contact center industry. The first-party research found that the future needs of AI-driven contact centers go well beyond technology adoption, requiring a renewed focus on evolving customer expectations while enhancing agent productivity and engagement. Embracing this paradigm shift will distinguish leaders from laggards in the customer experience landscape. The report is the result of a global quantitative survey of 437 contact center managers spanning eight industries, four age groups and 13 countries.

“Harnessing the transformative power of AI requires contact centers to do more than simply adopt AI technologies, but to thoughtfully integrate them into their operations in a way that complements and enhances the customer experience,” said Dave Rhodes, CEO of Calabrio. “This shift can turn every customer interaction into a strategic asset and turn beleaguered agents into empowered problem solvers. Strategic integrations of AI will elevate contact centers’ agent experience, productivity and customer experience.”

AI Usage and Value: A Cornerstone of Modern Contact Centers

The report shows 98% of respondents confirming varying levels of AI technology integration into their contact center operations. The most deployed AI tools include chatbots and voicebots, chatbot analytics and scheduling tools.

AI may simplify work by removing redundant and repetitive tasks. However, 61% of contact center leaders report conversations with customers are more challenging since AI is not designed to handle complex, emotionally charged interactions, and this can create new challenges.

The Agent Experience Disconnect

Handling difficult customer conversations requires emotional intelligence, adaptability and resilience. Many organizations don’t provide agents with the tools and support needed to effectively manage these challenging interactions. While empathy is identified as the most lacking skill among agents, 64% of those surveyed said emotional intelligence and social interaction training were not available to agents. Furthermore, 59% of organizations fail to provide ongoing coaching and support to help agents adapt to AI-driven workflows. Not surprisingly, 32% of contact center leaders cite agent distrust in AI as a major issue.

The Big Takeaway: Balance is Key

Successful contact centers will strategically integrate AI and balance automation and human expertise to leverage AI’s potential. This includes:

• Investing in smarter AI analytics to improve AI accuracy and efficiency.
• Helping agents manage challenging conversations by prioritizing emotional intelligence training.
• Providing AI-driven workflow coaching and support.
• Addressing trust and ethical concerns to ensure AI is an enabler, not a disruptor.

About Calabrio

Calabrio is a trusted ally to leading brands. The digital foundation of a customer-centric contact center, the Calabrio ONE workforce performance suite helps enrich and understand human interactions, empowering your contact center as a brand guardian. We maximize agent performance, exceed customer expectations, and boost workforce efficiency using connected data, AI-fueled analytics, automated workforce management, and personalized coaching. Only Calabrio ONE unites workforce optimization (WFO), agent engagement, and business intelligence solutions into a cloud-native, fully integrated suite that adapts to your business.

Calabrio, Calabrio ONE and the Calabrio logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Calabrio, Inc. All other trademarks mentioned in this document are the property of their respective owners.

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