The AI deployment gap
is widening
Across the industry, a gap is opening up between teams that have deployed AI at a surface level and those that have integrated it deeply to take on complex, high-stakes work. In other words, it's becoming clear that launching AI is easy, but transforming with it is not.
Most teams using AI are seeing benefits, but only a fraction of what's possible. The teams that have reached mature deployment are showing that going deep is what unlocks real value. By putting AI at the core of their support operation, integrating it into critical workflows, giving it more responsibility, and continuously improving it over time, they're proving that when you invest in the system, the returns compound.
This opportunity is still on the table for everyone else. But you have to be bullish. Push AI to do more, bring it to more channels, use it to resolve the most complex queries, and close the gap before it becomes too wide.
Declan Ivory,
VP of Customer Support at Intercom
Key findings
AI adoption is the norm, depth makes the difference
82% of senior leaders say their teams invested in AI for customer service over the last 12 months, with 87% planning to invest in 2026. But while most teams are using the technology, only 10% of respondents say they’ve reached mature deployment (i.e. AI is fully integrated into their support operations and working at scale). This means that for the majority, AI is unlocking initial value, but only a fraction of what it's capable of.
ROI becomes clearer with deeper integration
87% of teams at the mature deployment stage report improved metrics since implementing AI, compared to 62% overall. As the technology proves its value, the focus is shifting from cost savings to strategic impact, with mature teams redirecting freed-up capacity toward value-adding activities and revenue-generating work, fundamentally repositioning support from a cost center to growth engine.
The bar has moved from “does it work?” to “is it actually good?”
As AI takes on more work, improving customer experience has become the top priority for 2026 – cited by 58% of all teams, up from just 28% last year. Teams across maturity levels are racing to deliver consistently excellent experiences across every channel, moving from simply proving AI works to making sure it delivers the quality customers now expect.
Important support work now extends beyond the inbox
AI is reshaping what support teams do. New roles like conversation analysts, knowledge managers, and AI operations leads are becoming standard, and 40% of teams report agents spending more time training and optimizing AI systems. This evolution is paying off: 66% of senior leaders who’ve reached a mature level of deployment are confident their support function is a value driver within their company, reinforcing the opportunity AI presents for support.
Support is creating the blueprint for AI deployment across the business
52% of organizations are planning to scale AI beyond support in 2026, and nearly a third say customer service teams are leading the charge. Support's early success with AI has positioned it as the transformation engine for the entire business – a strategic role that might have felt unimaginable just two years ago.
