Contact center AI must prove its worth: theCUBE summit shifts focus to measurable ROI

The era of broad AI promises in contact centers is ending. Businesses now demand concrete evidence that their automation investments move the needle on operating expenses, workforce performance and customer satisfaction. TheCUBE Research has organized the Sept. 11 "AI ROI in Contact Center Summit" to examine this transition, with research analysts evaluating whether these systems deliver sustainable financial returns, according to Paul Nashawaty, principal analyst at theCUBE Research.

AI in the contact center is moving from an innovation discussion to an accountability discussion. The question is no longer whether generative and agentic AI can automate interactions or assist agents; it is whether those capabilities translate into measurable improvements in cost-to-serve, agent productivity, resolution quality and customer experience.

Paul Nashawaty, principal analyst at theCUBE Research

Data from TheCUBE Research's AppDev practice reveals that firms deploying AI-powered development tools are achieving a 37% reduction in mean time to deploy alongside a 22% decrease in post-deployment incidents. These findings underscore that AI's true value emerges when organizations successfully operationalize and expand its use across their operations.

TheCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media's livestreaming platform, will broadcast exclusive coverage on Sept. 11 from "The AI ROI in Contact Center Summit." Analysts Bob Laliberte and Zeus Kerravala will interview industry leaders about how enterprises can verify that contact center AI investments yield genuine business improvements.

Contact center automation enters the accountability phase

Implementation is no longer the main challenge facing organizations. The critical task now involves linking each AI deployment to measurable business outcomes including first-contact resolution rates, cost per interaction and customer satisfaction metrics, while remaining alert to hidden costs that emerge when automated systems generate repeat interactions, according to Sam Weston, industry analyst at theCUBE Research. The involvement of summit sponsors Five9 Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and Talkdesk Inc. demonstrates how pervasive ROI concerns have become across the contact center technology sector.

Our research shows that 92% of organizations now have AI integrated into at least one stage of their operations — up sharply from 71% in early 2024. The pressure to demonstrate measurable business returns has never been greater.

Sam Weston, industry analyst at theCUBE Research

Improvements in individual agent output represent just the starting point. The real challenge lies in determining whether these gains enable a contact center to absorb higher call volumes without proportional increases in headcount, while sustaining both resolution quality and customer satisfaction, noted Krista Case, principal analyst at theCUBE Research.

Contact center AI has already shown it can make an individual agent more productive. The next phase is proving those gains translate into operating leverage, with lower cost per resolution, faster outcomes and better customer experiences, without requiring labor to scale at the same rate as the business.

Krista Case, principal analyst at theCUBE Research

Turning AI deployments into operating value

The infrastructure surrounding an AI model determines whether a deployment succeeds. Data quality, integrated workflows and continuous production monitoring separate consistent automation from fragmented tools that complicate operations without generating defensible financial returns, Nashawaty stressed.

From an application development perspective, realizing ROI requires more than deploying an AI model. It requires integrating AI into enterprise workflows, connecting it to trusted data, reducing tool fragmentation, establishing governance and continuously observing performance in production. With 61% of developers still citing tool fragmentation as a productivity barrier, the ability to create integrated platforms and measurable feedback loops will be critical.

Paul Nashawaty, principal analyst at theCUBE Research

Operational success also demands establishing clear performance indicators before launch. Cost per resolution, containment rates and time to proficiency can track progress, yet organizations must examine them alongside recontact rates and customer satisfaction to confirm whether claimed savings represent genuine service gains, Nashawaty explained.

The enterprises that succeed with contact center AI will be those that treat it as a production application and business capability, with clear KPIs and continuous optimization, not simply another technology experiment.

Paul Nashawaty, principal analyst at theCUBE Research

Event details and coverage options

TheCUBE will deliver live coverage of "The AI ROI in Contact Center Summit" on Sept. 11, with on-demand access available following the broadcast.

Multiple platforms will carry theCUBE's event interviews, including the dedicated theCUBE website and YouTube channel. SiliconANGLE will also publish comprehensive coverage across its site.

SiliconANGLE produces "theCUBE Pod," available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube, where hosts John Furrier and Dave Vellante discuss major developments in enterprise technology spanning AI, cloud infrastructure, regulation and organizational dynamics. The outlet also publishes "Breaking Analysis," a weekly program where Vellante reviews top enterprise tech stories by combining theCUBE insights with spending intelligence from Enterprise Technology Research, accessible via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

Participants

"The AI ROI in Contact Center Summit" on Sept. 11 will examine what distinguishes effective contact center AI implementations from costly failed experiments. Research analysts will engage with executives and practitioners from Five9, Cisco, Talkdesk, Zoom Communications Inc. and Converged Technology Professionals Inc. to explore cost management, agent productivity improvements and enhanced customer outcomes.