Sydney, Australia – Consumers are becoming more open to using artificial intelligence (AI) agents for customer service, particularly when businesses can guarantee that their issues will be resolved, according to research released by NiCE and Metrigy.
The findings show that 28.8 per cent of consumers would choose an AI agent if resolution were guaranteed, up from 23 per cent in the first quarter of 2026. Trust remains the leading factor consumers value in their interactions with businesses, selected by 41 per cent of respondents, ahead of issue resolution at 35.4 per cent.
Accuracy was the most important consideration when choosing a service channel, cited by 54.7 per cent of respondents. The results suggest that businesses looking to expand AI adoption will need to prioritise reliable outcomes and ensure customers can access human support when necessary.
The research surveyed 1,000 adults in the United States and tracked customer service experiences across eight dimensions, including AI satisfaction, trust and issue resolution. Its indices measure changes against a first-quarter 2026 baseline of 100.
“AI adoption is earned every time a customer gets the help they need,” said Arun Chandra, Chief Operating Officer of NiCE.
“The next wave of adoption depends on AI agents that understand the customer, take action and carry the context forward when a person needs to step in. NiCE brings together NiCE Cognigy and NiCE CXone to help enterprises connect AI agents, workflows and human expertise, turning AI innovation into customer experiences that build trust,” Chandra continued.
Consumers favour a combination of AI and human support
The AI Satisfaction Index reached 109.4, while the AI Trust Index stood at 106.9, representing increases of 9.4 and 6.9 points respectively from the first-quarter baseline. These were the largest improvements among the eight dimensions tracked.
Consumers also showed a preference for service models combining automated and human assistance. Nearly 39.4 per cent favoured an approach that automatically switches between AI and human agents based on the complexity of an issue. Another 37 per cent preferred human-led service supported by AI, while 23.6 per cent favoured AI-led interactions with human assistance available when needed.
The ability to choose between an AI agent and a human representative was also the most frequently selected premium service feature, cited by 37 per cent of respondents. Overall, 63.9 per cent said they would be willing to pay more for better customer service.
Younger consumers reported stronger engagement with AI-powered support. Among adults aged 25 to 34, 74.4 per cent expected AI to improve customer service over the next two years, compared with 49.5 per cent of respondents overall. In addition, 39.7 per cent in this age group said they had used an AI text agent, compared with 26.2 per cent across all respondents.
Retail records strongest AI improvement
Retail recorded an AI Index score of 108.1, the largest improvement against its own first-quarter baseline among the three sectors tracked: retail, financial services and healthcare.
However, the sector’s broader customer experience index remained below the baseline, indicating that improvements in AI performance have yet to translate into equivalent gains across the wider customer service experience.
The findings also point to a decline in consumer tolerance for poor service. Respondents said they would tolerate an average of 2.78 negative experiences before leaving a company, down from 3.24 in the first quarter.
“Trust isn’t a soft metric anymore. It’s the one that decides whether a customer comes back,” said Robin Gareiss, CEO and Principal Analyst for AI and CX at Metrigy.
“Consumers are more open to AI when they can count on a resolution, and they’re now sending personal AI agents to negotiate, escalate, and decide for them. Those agents will recommend the brands they can trust. The opportunity for businesses is to earn that trust consistently, with every customer and every agent, and make it easy to reach a person when the situation calls for one,” Gareiss continued.
NiCE said its customer experience platform connects AI agents with service workflows and employees across voice and digital channels, allowing businesses to manage interactions as customers move between automated services and human support.
