Living with AI, Longing for Connection
Not long ago, getting customer service support from a company meant dialing an 800-number and waiting, sometimes endlessly, for the next available human agent. That was the norm in traditional contact centers. But today, the stakes are higher. Customers expect more than just a response; they expect a relationship.
In a world where Artificial Intelligence (AI) is embedded in everything from our phones to our homes, the way we connect with brands has fundamentally changed. If the customer experience (CX) feels robotic or fragmented, it doesn’t just frustrate; it alienates, leading to churn. But when customers feel a genuine human connection, loyalty follows.
At Avaya, we’ve been tracking this evolution. Our latest research, Living with AI, Longing for Connection: The Real Story Behind Consumer AI Adoption and What It Means for CX, builds on studies we conducted with Ipsos in 2021 and 2023. This year’s findings explore how familiar consumers are with AI, how they use it, when they prefer it, and where they draw the line between automation and authenticity.
Here’s what we found:
- Between 2021 and 2025, the number of consumers who say they are “very familiar” with AI more than doubled, from 25% to 57%.
- AI is no longer a novelty. It’s part of daily life, from virtual assistants to recommendation engines.
- Even as AI becomes more common, the desire for human connection remains strong.
In fact, 87% of consumers say businesses should disclose when they’re interacting with conversational AI. That number has held steady across all three waves of our research. It’s not a trend, it’s a baseline expectation. And when businesses fail to offer a path to a human agent?
- 37% of customers say they will likely take their business elsewhere.
- Another 36% are somewhat likely to leave.
- That’s 73% of customers at risk, simply because they couldn’t reach a real person.
Consumers are clear, they’re comfortable letting AI handle low-risk, routine tasks like scheduling appointments. But they want a human touch when it comes to higher-stakes interactions, like banking or contract renewals.
This is where the AI-powered modern contact center becomes something more—what we refer to as a ‘connection center’. By blending AI’s efficiency with human empathy, businesses can create experiences that are not only smart and seamless but also personal and trustworthy.
At Avaya, we help organizations make this shift. We’re not just building smarter solutions; we’re helping businesses get closer to their customers. It’s not about replacing people with AI. It’s about empowering people through AI.
To illustrate this shift, consider a healthcare provider using AI to streamline appointment scheduling and prescription refills. Patients appreciate the speed and convenience. But when they have questions about a diagnosis or need emotional support, they want to speak with a compassionate professional. The provider that gets this balance right earns trust and long-term loyalty.
Or think about a financial services firm that uses AI to detect fraud and alert customers instantly. That’s a win for security and efficiency. But when a customer needs to discuss a mortgage or investment strategy, they expect a knowledgeable advisor who can guide them through complex decisions. Again, the human element is irreplaceable.
These examples show that AI and human agents are not in competition. They are collaborators in delivering exceptional customer experiences. The key is knowing when to deploy each, and how to transition seamlessly between them.
If your business is ready to reimagine its customer experience, this research unveils the keys to doing so by understanding how your customers live their daily lives with AI today, so you can build the connections they’ll value tomorrow.
To bring this vision to life, Avaya is embracing a transformative new approach: Model Context Protocol (MCP). As part of our ongoing innovation roadmap, MCP enables a new generation of AI-powered experiences that don’t just automate tasks—they understand context, intent, and continuity across every touchpoint. Instead of making customers start over with each interaction or channel, MCP ensures that their journey is remembered and respected. The result? Conversations that feel coherent, relevant, and—most importantly—human. This advancement isn’t just a technical upgrade; it’s a philosophical shift. By moving from app switching to agent stitching, MCP empowers organizations to create deeper, more meaningful connections at scale—connections that today’s AI-savvy consumers are not only ready for but already demanding.
Methodology: Living with AI, Longing for Connection: The Real Story Behind Consumer AI Adoption and What It Means for CX (March 2025); 540 U.S. consumers ages 18-60 participated.