2025 AI Vision: IDC & Sprinklr Formulate New Research

Amitabh Misra, Chief Technology Officer, Sprinklr

 

Sprinklr (NYSE: CXM), a leading platform in unified customer experience management (Unified-CXM) for modern enterprises, has recently released insights into the AI priorities shaping enterprise marketing and contact centres for 2025. These findings, published in a new sponsored IDC Report titled AI Everywhere Drives Intelligent Experiences for the Contact Centre and Marketing Functions, highlight a significant shift from traditional narratives about AI’s role in business operations.

Shift in Priorities for Marketing and Contact Centres

According to the report, marketing leaders are placing high importance on creating efficiencies, a response to anticipated challenges in marketing budgets by 2025. Meanwhile, contact centre leaders are prioritizing the modernization and digitization of the customer service technology stack, aligning with the evolution of the contact centre as an integral component of both customer and brand experiences.

Key Barrier: Skilled Workforce Deficit

A common theme emerging from the report is the significant challenge both marketing (44%) and contact centre (42%) leaders face: a shortage of skilled employees needed to leverage AI effectively. This shortage is seen as the main obstacle to fully realizing AI-driven transformations in customer experience (CX) initiatives.

Survey Scope and Methodology

The research gathered insights from over 1,000 senior leaders, including more than 500 from enterprise customer service and 500 from enterprise marketing. It explored their goals, priorities, and strategies for implementing AI in CX transformations by 2025. The findings shed light on the ways these leaders plan to use AI to meet their evolving goals in customer engagement and service delivery.

Contact Center Leaders’ AI Priorities and Expected Outcomes

Contact centre leaders are especially optimistic about the impact of AI-driven analytics. Key insights from this group include:

> 24/7 Autonomous Customer Support: Approximately 73% of contact centre executives predict that around-the-clock autonomous customer support, powered by advanced and predictive AI analytics, will be the most transformative business outcome by 2025.

> Enhanced Contextual Customer Engagement: 67% believe that generative AI will significantly enhance customer engagement during service interactions, providing more personalized and contextual responses.

> Skilled Employee Shortage: 42% of contact centre leaders view the lack of skilled personnel as the primary barrier to implementing AI in customer service.

Marketing Leaders’ AI Priorities and Expected Outcomes

Marketing executives, meanwhile, are focusing on personalization and customer insights. Their priorities include:

> Dynamic Content Creation: 76% of marketing executives see dynamic, personalized content and image creation as the most impactful AI-driven outcome, especially through predictive analytics.

> Unified Voice of Customer (VoC) Program: 72% highlight the need for a cohesive VoC initiative to capture rich, expansive insights that will enhance marketing effectiveness and improve customer journey outcomes.

> Skilled Employee Shortage: 44% of marketing leaders identify the lack of skilled employees as a significant barrier to maximizing AI’s potential in their strategies.

Strategic Recommendations for Enterprises Embracing AI Everywhere

The report also provides actionable steps for enterprises aiming to thrive in an AI-integrated environment. Key recommendations include:

> Prepare Customer and Operational Data for AI: Companies are encouraged to enhance data infrastructure, enable trusted data-sharing mechanisms, and establish governance processes tailored for AI and GenAI capabilities.

> Build a Unified Customer Insights Fabric: Integrating customer data across departments is essential to developing a comprehensive portfolio of customer intelligence, which will enable more contextualized and effective customer journey outcomes.

> Implement CX-Specific AI Governance: Establishing AI governance policies will help ensure ethical practices, minimize biases, and maintain customer trust in AI-driven interactions.

> Focus on Cost-Effective Intelligent Experiences: Enterprises are advised to prioritize AI investments that drive tangible business results and partner with technology providers offering flexible pricing and robust support.

> Address Foundational Skills Gaps: Overcoming challenges related to employee skills and training is critical for maximizing the return on AI investments.

Conclusion

Sprinklr's research provides valuable guidance for enterprises preparing for an AI-driven future in CX. By addressing these identified priorities and implementing the report’s recommendations, organizations can effectively harness AI to deliver intelligent, efficient, and engaging experiences for their customers.