Portillo’s tests computer vision to boost drive-thru times

Managers will see a screen flashing red if a car has sat for four minutes, allowing them to redeploy labor and move guests faster through the drive-thru.

By Julie Littman • Jan. 17, 2025

At NRF, 40,000 humans contemplate AI

Artificial intelligence is useful to many areas of retail, from sourcing to customer service, making it a hot topic during this year’s Big Show. 

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 17, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Generative AI

In this Trendline, CX Dive explores how leaders are adopting generative AI in their CX practices.

By CX Dive staff

Unhappy consumers will drive the next wave of AI lawsuits

Companies using AI to make decisions or provide guidance can expect pushback when people don’t like how that impacts them, an AI legal specialist says.

By Robert Freedman • Jan. 16, 2025

AI acceptance grows among holiday shoppers, survey finds

Nearly 9 in 10 shoppers used the technology in some form during the 2024 holiday season, according to Talkdesk research.

By Kristen Doerer • Jan. 16, 2025

Amazon to end Prime Try Before You Buy

AI feature adoption is reducing the need for physical try-ons, the company said.

By Nate Delesline III • Jan. 14, 2025

5 customer experience trends to watch in 2025

Falling loyalty, isolated customer experience practices and score obsession will shape the year ahead.

By Kristen Doerer , Bryan Wassel • Jan. 8, 2025

Consumers embraced generative AI for holiday shopping

Research shows there is significant potential for generative AI to enhance e-commerce experiences, especially when it integrates into existing journeys.

By Bryan Wassel • Jan. 7, 2025

Customer experience trends 2025: 6 analysts share their predictions

Discover CX trends for 2025 as six analysts reveal how AI and innovation will transform customer experiences.

By Siobhán Corley-Richards • Jan. 6, 2025

Research ties responsible AI adoption to value, trust

Enterprises expect to add value by embedding governance and transparency into implementation plans, AWS and Accenture data shows.

By Lindsey Wilkinson • Dec. 16, 2024

Church’s Texas Chicken turns to drive-thru AI

SoundHound’s technology could help the fast food chain speed up order processing by shifting workers from order taking to food making.

By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • Dec. 13, 2024

How generative AI is redefining customer service

From real-time sentiment analysis to revenue generation, AI-powered tools are transforming contact centers by amplifying agent efficiency and impact.

By Rosalyn Page • Dec. 12, 2024

Albertsons serves up AI-driven personalization for alcohol and food

In California, the grocer’s direct-to-consumer wine shipping platform is now using Preferabli’s product discovery and recommendation software.

By Catherine Douglas Moran • Dec. 11, 2024

Why wait times and first call resolution are key to customer loyalty

Customers are more satisfied with their contact center interactions, but bad experiences can risk their loyalty, Qualtrics XM Institute found.

By Kristen Doerer • Dec. 10, 2024

How Campari adapts to market trends to shape holiday experiences

The company’s vice president of marketing for America dishes on an expansive holiday strategy encompassing brands like Aperol and Grand Marnier.

By Sara Karlovitch • Dec. 4, 2024

Best Buy makes inspiring customer curiosity a priority for the holidays

The retailer introduced AI-powered product discovery, a virtual assistant and a real-time delivery tracker.

By Bryan Wassel • Dec. 3, 2024

A CX leader’s holiday survival guide: The gift of AI for a smoother peak season

Seven ways AI can ease holiday stress in CX: faster resolutions mean happier agents and customers.

By Siobhán Corley-Richards • Dec. 2, 2024

How to maintain customer trust while deploying AI

To address customer distrust of generative AI, experts urge businesses to establish governance plans and pick and choose use cases.

By Kristen Doerer • Nov. 19, 2024

Retailers confront trust issues as generative AI becomes commonplace

Generative AI can win over reluctant shoppers by offering personalization or help with finding deals, experts say.

By Bryan Wassel • Updated Nov. 18, 2024

How synthetic data might shape consumer research

Market research teams expect artificially generated data designed to mimic real-world information to grow in importance, a Qualtrics survey found.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 11, 2024

How to take a customer-led approach to contact center AI

AI the right way. Get 5 steps to contact center AI implementation your customers will thank you for.

By Siobhán Corley-Richards • Nov. 11, 2024

Taco Bell puts AI front-and-center in drive-thru strategy

The restaurant brand’s AI investments aim to improve drive-thru ordering and improve scheduling practices.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 8, 2024

28% of workers fear AI will diminish or replace their role: survey

It’s a stressful time for workers, who also report challenges such as increased burnout and declining mental health, Grant Thornton found.

By Alexei Alexis • Nov. 7, 2024

When is generative AI the wrong tool?

Despite the hype, the technology is often not the most cost-effective, reliable or efficient tool for enterprises to use, according to Gartner’s Rita Sallam. 

By Lindsey Wilkinson • Nov. 4, 2024

Wendy’s credits tech for better drive-thru experiences, employee satisfaction

The drive-thru accounts for 70% of transactions, and the company is focusing on improvements, including AI, that can enhance the drive-thru experience.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 1, 2024

Most consumers prefer live agents for customer service, survey finds

Nearly half of consumers say they don’t trust information from chatbots. Transparency and guardrails are key to building that trust, experts say.

By Bryan Wassel • Nov. 1, 2024