CX Today

Brad Anderson, President of Product Engineering and Security at Qualtrics, applies AI to customer experience, security, and product engineering. He contrasts pragmatic AI that fixes real problems with academic “science projects.” He discusses using AI to detect digital frustration, agentic tools that close feedback loops in real time, and radical transparency after breaches to rebuild trust.

 Francesca Roche sits down with Sarah Bruno, a Partner in the Emerging Technologies Group at Reed Smith, to discuss the recent investigative sweep by California’s Attorney General targeting retail, grocery, and hotel sectors for their use of consumer data in surveillance pricing.Sarah Bruno explains that the sweep focuses on how companies use algorithms to set individualized prices based on personal and non-personal data that consumers may not anticipate is being collected. She highlights why these sectors are targeted, given their broad consumer base and the variety of data collected both online and offline.The discussion covers the complexity of compliance. Bruno emphasizes the importance of transparency and human oversight in algorithmic pricing to avoid misleading, unfair, or discriminatory outcomes. She notes that algorithmic pricing can unintentionally lead to discriminatory effects based on data patterns, rather than company intent, and stresses the role of disclosure to maintain customer trust.Bruno considers how this California sweep could set a precedent for other states, influencing how businesses across the U.S. approach personalized pricing, loyalty programs, and CX transparency. She underscores that companies may need to adapt their data collection, notice, and transparency practices to align with evolving regulatory expectations while preserving customer engagement. 

Ali Sarrafi, CEO and founder of Kovant and former AI lead at Spotify, specializes in safe AI deployment for enterprises. He discusses how autonomous agents shift cybersecurity toward social-engineering style risks. He highlights agents acting correctly in the wrong context, the gap between consumer scams and enterprise disasters, and the need for governance-by-design and external controls.

Customers don’t complain in private anymore. They post. They tag. They amplify. And they expect a response before the next refresh.In this CX Today conversation, Rob Wilkinson speaks with Anish Singal, VP of Product Management at Sprinklr, about why “control” is the wrong goal for modern CX, and what it really means to command the moment instead.From AI signal detection and cross-functional war rooms to predictive analytics and governance at speed, this is a grounded discussion about how brands move from reactive firefighting to outcome-driven social CX.What you’ll take away:Why control breaks at the speed of social, and what “command” really means in practiceHow one social signal can escalate into reputational and revenue risk, and how to contain it earlyWhere AI shifts CX from reactive reporting to predictive actionHow to embed governance without slowing teams downThe three rules modern social CX leaders follow: understand meaning, measure outcomes, empower actionWhy employee experience is the foundation of sustainable, high-speed customer experienceWho should watch?:Chief Customer Officers, Heads of CX, and Contact Centre Directors navigating social-first serviceCMOs and digital leaders managing brand reputation in real timeCIOs and transformation leaders embedding AI into service workflowsRisk, compliance, and governance teams responsible for brand integrity at scaleIf your teams are still trying to contain conversations instead of leading them, this discussion offers a practical blueprint for building readiness, accountability, and measurable impact in 2026 and beyond.

Human in the loop is quickly moving from an AI buzzword to a real operating requirement for customer experience teams.In this episode of Human in the Loop, we dig into what AI oversight means in practice, and why it is reshaping contact center skills, hiring, and escalation design. CX Today speaks with Martyn Redstone, Founder at GenAssess, about the skills that matter most as AI agents take on more routine customer queries. We also explore the implications of AI regulation, including the EU AI Act, and why “who owns the escalation” is becoming a leadership-level question.In this conversation, we cover:How human oversight is showing up in AI regulationWhy escalations get harder when AI tries firstWhat skills-based hiring looks like in an AI-augmented contact centerWhy critical thinking and AI literacy are now essential agent skillsHow to build a feedback loop that improves automation over time 

Sumant Mauskar, Global Partners SVP at Pindrop who specialises in voice security and fraud prevention. He discusses AI-powered voice deepfakes hitting contact centers at scale. He explains the importance of NICE integration for real-time risk scoring. He warns about bi-directional trust as legitimate synthetic voices emerge and urges shifting from intuition to data-driven defenses.

In this interview with Paul Vezelis, Co-Founder and CEO of Traxlo, we explore how the platform’s pay-per-task model is reshaping retail operations, diving into operational innovation, workforce flexibility, and customer experience in modern retail. Traxlo connects thousands of gig workers with retailers to complete specific operational tasks like shelf replenishment, inventory checks, and online order picking, ensuring consistent execution that supports both customer and employee experiences.Paul explains how the model works in practice, the advantages it offers over traditional staffing, and the results seen by retailers and shoppers. The discussion also covers Traxlo’s plans to integrate AI through its tasku.ai engine, using large language models and computer vision to automate task creation, verify completion, and expand the types of tasks that can be managed efficiently, sharing his perspective on why 2026 could be a turning point for retail and warehouse labor as AI and robotics reshape the industry.

Alex Mead, a seasoned CSX leader and creator of the EPIC CX framework, argues that everyday service is slipping despite CX investments. He explains why conflating brand with operational service hurts frontline teams. He warns against treating AI as a silver bullet and highlights the need for living knowledge, real‑time data, and empowered service leadership.

 When headlines scream "data leak" but companies claim "no breach," customers are left confused—and trust takes a hit. In this CX Today interview, Ron Zayas, CEO of Ironwall by Incogni, explains why a recent Instagram incident is a wake-up call for CX leaders, arguing that technical security definitions often miss the reality of "cumulative risk."Zayas delivers a stark warning: risk is no longer just about stolen passwords. He explains how aggregated identity data—even without a confirmed system breach—allows bad actors to build detailed profiles for phishing and impersonation. He compares holding customer data to a bank holding money: if a bank is careless with security, customers will withdraw their assets regardless of whether their specific dollar was stolen.The conversation also covers the critical role of crisis communication. Zayas advises leaders to resist the urge to downplay incidents or hide behind legal technicalities. Instead, he advocates for treating data like currency, minimizing third-party sharing, and offering customers concrete, practical advice when their data is exposed.If you want to understand why privacy is the new loyalty driver—and how to communicate effectively when the worst happens—tune in to this conversation. 

Sundeep Boughan, Director of Sales Engineering at Puzzel and contact centre AI expert, breaks down real-world AI readiness and why data and customer prep matter. He discusses why many pilots stall and how to get measurable ROI. Conversation analytics, copilots for fast wins, and the rise of agentic AI reshape agent experience.