Photo: David Okulicz, CEO of Kytec
While Australian businesses are bullish on AI’s potential to transform customer experience (CX), a significant “capability gap” threatens to stall their short-term ambitions.
According to new research from systems integrator Kytec and advisory firm Nature, which surveyed over 300 professionals in medium-to-large local organisations, there is a stark disconnect between corporate investment and operational readiness.
High ambition vs. low maturity
The enthusiasm for AI is undeniable, with 85% of organisations setting clear AI goals for CX and 69% planning to increase technology budgets in 2026. Despite this optimism:
- 49% of companies are still in the early stages of AI maturity.
- Only 16% have achieved a unified view of their customer data.
- Just one in five employees feel their workforce is truly prepared for the transition.
“Within CX – particularly in the contact centre – CCaaS platforms already have the capability to deliver agentic AI ‘out of the box’. The key is identifying and building the right use cases to take advantage of it,” said David Okulicz, CEO of Kytec.
“Not every use case will be ready immediately due to challenges around data unification and integration. However, organisations should focus on simpler use cases first. These can help drive progress on data unification while also building confidence in AI and the capabilities of their teams.
Ultimately, success will depend on execution rather than aspiration. The challenge now isn’t ambition – it’s identifying the right use cases that will drive the integration and readiness activities needed to scale.”
To explore the full findings and insights, download the AI-Driven CX Trends Australia 2026 research report here: https://go.kytec.com.au/AI-Driven-CX-Trends-Australia-2026
