Our recent survey reveals that cost of implementation is the biggest barrier to AI adoption, with 29% of organizations reporting financial concerns as their main obstacle in 2024.
For many businesses, the high upfront costs associated with AI – spanning setup, training, and infrastructure – make it difficult to justify the investment, despite AI’s potential for innovation and efficiency gains.
Following close behind, data privacy and security concerns were flagged by 23% of respondents. In an era of strict data regulations and heightened privacy risks, many organizations worry about the security challenges tied to AI, where data must be handled with extreme caution.
Reflecting on the survey results, industry expert Martin Hill-Wilson said, “Cost is an immediate hurdle; organizations see the potential, but when they realize the setup and operational expenses, they hesitate. AI’s promise needs to be backed by clear ROI for widespread adoption to take hold.”
Integration with existing systems emerged as the third most significant hurdle, reported by 21% of respondents. This highlights the challenge of embedding AI into current technology stacks – a process that often demands technical adaptations, creating additional complexity and cost.
A lack of clear use cases or measurable ROI is another key obstacle, with 15% of organizations hesitant to commit resources to AI without proven, specific benefits.
Employee resistance to change also poses a challenge, reported by 8.6%, as some employees struggle to adapt to AI-powered workflows.
Lastly, 3.6% of respondents identified a lack of technical expertise as a barrier, though it appears to be a less pressing concern than others.
Despite these challenges, industry experts anticipate gradual breakthroughs as AI technology becomes more affordable, secure, and easier to integrate with existing systems.
As advancements continue, businesses may soon find AI adoption more achievable, bringing it closer to widespread use across industries.
Our annual survey is a crucial resource for the contact centre industry, offering key insights and trends across various areas such as Advisor Experience, Artificial Intelligence, Customer Experience, and Workforce Management.
This year’s survey, run in partnership with Five9, Jabra, NICE, Sabio, Scorebuddy, and Zoom, highlights the latest strategies and challenges shaping the future of contact centres.
Download the full report for free: What Contact Centres Are Doing Right Now (2024).
Author: Hannah Swankie
Reviewed by: Xander Freeman
Published On: 15th Nov 2024 - Last modified: 19th Nov 2024
Read more about - Latest News, Martin Hill-Wilson, survey
