Speedy bots make for skeptical customers, but the best CX teams lead with trust and authenticity

Thanks to AI, CX is looking like faster responses, fewer hands, and a lot more bots. But for CX leaders, the real test isn't the tech. It's making sure customers feel heard, helped, and human.

Kim Ramsey is an independent consultant and strategic advisor with a knack for cutting through the buzz. With a background in SaaS, CX, and operations, she helps companies bring AI into their customer experience, without losing the customer along the way.

Bot or not? AI can't help customer experience if people don't trust it. "When people realize they're interacting with a bot or an AI tool, they're less likely to trust the experience or feel they're receiving the highest level of service," says Ramsey. As bots become the frontline, the real risk is losing credibility. "Trust will present a significant challenge for many organizations," she explains. "To preserve customer confidence, AI must demonstrate both effectiveness and authenticity, ensuring individuals feel genuinely supported rather than relegated to an impersonal technology tool."

The price of productivity: AI brings speed, but at what cost? "It is saving us a ton of time because where we used to conduct hands-on research and deep dives into data, AI now does that for us," says Ramsey. "It's saving a ton of employee resources, which translates into cost savings." But speed comes with tradeoffs. AI is also fueling a wave of inauthentic work—from plagiarized student essays to outright deception on job applications. "The inauthenticity is really taking a toll on every industry," she says. "Extra layers of verification have become necessary—something we didn’t have to worry about before."

Industry agnostic: For Ramsey, one of AI’s biggest breakthroughs is its reach. "Now, for the first time, we have an industry-agnostic tool that's going to connect us in so many different ways," says Ramsey. Where tools were once siloed by sector, AI is becoming the bridge—usable across industries and teams. Even better, it's easy to pick up. "The learning curve with AI is surprisingly minimal, unlike most new tools," she adds. "It’s the first time we’ve seen a technology adopted this quickly and broadly, with so little time needed to understand it and start using it."

Tortoise and hare: AI might be fast, but Ramsey says speed alone doesn’t cut it anymore. The real metric is whether the experience actually works. "Your AI tool should be equipped with as much knowledge and expertise as possible," she says, "to prevent customers from experiencing the frustration of repeatedly returning with unresolved questions." Fast, bad CX is still bad CX.

The empathy quotient: One thing still makes or breaks a customer experience: empathy. And that's tough to fake. "Whatever tool is deployed, you need to evaluate not just the answer, but the manner in which the answer is delivered," Ramsey explains. Teaching AI to respond with warmth and nuance remains a major hurdle.

Alongside empathy, data privacy looms large. The more companies lean on AI, the harder it gets to guarantee the same level of protection once managed by humans. As Ramsey sees it, the gains in productivity come with real responsibility—and trust will depend on how seriously businesses take it.