New Research Reveals AI Trust Gap Between Companies and Customers

New research from Genesys reveals a growing gap between how businesses govern AI and what consumers expect.

While 80% of consumers want clear rules for AI interactions, only 31% of business leaders say their organizations have comprehensive policies in place.

This disconnect is particularly pressing as agentic AI-autonomous systems that make independent decisions-becomes central to customer experience strategies.

Although 91% of CX leaders believe the technology will enable faster, more personalized service, governance has not kept pace.

More than a third of leaders admit their organizations have little to no AI oversight, and some still feel prepared to deploy the technology despite the lack of safeguards.

Consumers, meanwhile, remain cautious: their top concern is transparency around how personal data is used. Many also question AI’s reliability, with 37% believing it fabricates information-a concern echoed by 59% of CX leaders.

Trust divides are especially clear around sensitive data. While 81% of leaders trust agentic AI with it, only 36% of consumers agree.

Businesses report comfort using AI for financial transactions and account security, but fewer than half of consumers share that confidence.

Still, there is opportunity. A majority of consumers (58%) say they don’t mind whether their issue is resolved by a human or AI, as long as it’s done quickly and accurately.

This suggests that efficiency can win acceptance-but only if paired with strong governance, transparency, and accountability.

Olivier Jouve, chief product officer at Genesys, said, “As these systems take on more responsibility, it’s essential that businesses stay transparent and accountable in how they’re used.

With the right guardrails in place from the start, companies can build lasting confidence by responsibly innovating customer experiences that deliver new levels of personalization and effectiveness.”

Author: Genesys