AI-supported roleplaying is transforming contact center training by making realistic, on-demand practice possible at scale. By allowing agents to build confidence and refine skills before interacting with customers, organizations can accelerate onboarding, improve consistency, and deliver better customer experiences.

[UPDATED FOR 2025] Customer expectations continued to rise in 2025, and the gap between great and poor customer service is widening. This article examines best- and worst-performing companies across industries—and the CX lessons leaders must apply as AI and human-in-the-loop service models shape the future.

As AI implementation in customer service contact centers accelerates, a critical question remains: How do we preserve empathy, judgment, and human connection in an increasingly digital world? The answer lies in human-in-the-loop design, a model where AI manages the predictable and people manage the personal. It’s the sweet spot between efficiency and humanity, allowing organizations to deliver services that are faster, smarter, and still unmistakably human.

As AI continues to take over routine customer service tasks, the role of the human agent is being redefined. This leaves live agents to manage the most complex, emotionally charged, and brand-defining moments with customers. A recent Calabrio report revealed that while over 60% of contact centers are experiencing more difficult customer interactions, fewer than one in four believe their agents are fully equipped. Explore 'Agent Upskilling' to understand soft skills call cente