AI is becoming one of the core engines behind modern contact centres. As organisations move into 2026, we will see tighter alignment between AI, cloud platforms, real time data and rising customer expectations. This will shape how centres run, how people work and how customers experience service.
AI Moves From Experiments to Real Operations
I engage with varying contact centre people almost every week, whether leaders, evangelists, managers or agents and the same theme keeps coming up. AI is no longer a side project. It is shifting into the operational centre of the contact centre. As we step into 2026, I believe we will see full alignment between AI, cloud platforms, real time data and customer expectations.
AI will move into the centre of operations. In the past, AI handled simple tasks like call summaries or FAQ responses. In 2026, AI will support routing, staffing, quality checks and knowledge updates. It will help predict customer intent and match customers to the right person. This will reduce repetitive work and free teams to focus on more complex conversations.
Vendors are already moving in this direction. Genesys has shown how AI can improve routing and customer journeys at scale through Genesys Cloud, which was named a Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for CCaaS 2025.
NiCE continues to lead with AI driven experience design and operational analytics according to its 2025 Gartner recognition. Combined with its recent purchase of Cognigy, NiCE is well positioned to accelerate further in 2026.
Voice Remains Critical and Becomes Smarter
I feel voice will stay important even as digital channels grow. Customers still prefer to speak when an issue is personal or urgent. The difference in 2026 is that voice will become more intelligent.
Before an agent answers a call, AI should already understand the intent or sentiment based on real time analysis. AI driven transcription will support supervisors in real time and enable coaching during the interaction. Simple interactions can be handled start to finish by AI assistants. This will make voice quicker and more helpful.
Zoom has advanced quickly in this space with its cloud first Zoom Contact Centre, which entered the 2025 Gartner evaluation only three years after launch.
Personalisation Becomes Practical
Personalisation will finally become real. For year, contact centres have struggled with scattered systems, and claims your interactions were “personal” when they weren’t. I know as I used to create workflows for them!
AI and cloud should address this. With the right integrations, the platform will understand what a customer needs, what they value and why they may be contacting the organisation. Routing and responses will feel relevant rather than generic which will improve the outcome for both customers and agents.
Network Quality Turns Into a CX Factor
Network performance will influence customer experience more directly in 2026. When contact centres use real time voice, video, AI and cloud services the network matters more than ever. Why? Latency, packet loss and stability now influence your satisfaction scores. My own experience shows that companies do monitor network health and customer experience side by side.
Cisco shows strength in this area with its global Webex Contact Centre platform, built for quality, scale and integrated connectivity. For Damovo, this aligns with our long history in enterprise networking.
Cloud Ecosystems Overtake Point Solutions
More organisations will become cloud native. They will move from on-prem to cloud ecosystems that combine contact centre, AI, workforce management, analytics, voice and security.
Genesys Cloud and NiCE CXone remain two of the strongest platforms available according to the 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant. Zoom and Cisco also offer credible cloud solutions for organisations seeking stable, scalable and secure platforms.
Security Becomes Part of the CX Conversation
Thinking about the secure statement there, this means security will become a major strategic focus and not just from your traditional avenues.
As we use more AI, we will generate more data and as we move more to the cloud, we will create more remote teams. The risk landscape for contact centres will evolve. To protect customers and brands, I expect more companies to look at voice verification, behavioural checks and real time fraud scoring in 2026.
Companies will treat contact centre security as part of the customer experience rather than as a separate IT topic as has been done traditionally.
Vendor Selection Becomes a Strategic Decision
Finally, in my opinion, vendor choice will become even more important in a crowded CCaaS market where platforms offer similar core capabilities. The key differences will lie in how well vendors handle AI integration, security, networking and data.
Industry analysis highlights Genesys and NiCE as leading CCaaS vendors. Zoom continues to grow rapidly in cloud contact centre capabilities and offers a strong UC/CC story. Cisco remains trusted for scale and security.
Contact centre leaders will need to choose based on long term strategy rather than focusing primarily on features or price.
How Leaders Should Prepare for 2026
If you run or manage a contact centre it is important to prepare now. Think about AI, cloud, security, networking and people as a joined system. Choose partners who understand the whole ecosystem. Be ready for change because 2026 will reward organisations who act early.
At Damovo, we help organisations build modern contact centres that can adapt, scale and remain secure. We understand how technology and people come together to create a strong customer experience. I believe 2026 will be a strong year for those who plan.