Research Reveals 10-Point Drop in Global Customer Happiness

The 2025 Global Happiness Index by NiCE reports a nearly 10-point drop in global happiness, falling from 66% in 2024 to 58% in 2025.

In contrast, customer service satisfaction grew by 5 points, reaching 41% globally. AI and automation emerged as key contributors to this positive shift.

Based on input from 12,000 consumers across six countries – Australia, the US, UK, Japan, Mexico, and Brazil – 72% of respondents identified benefits from AI in customer service. A parallel survey of 270 senior executives in the US and UK offered further insight into business perspectives.

Trust in AI-powered service is growing. Globally, 60% of consumers report trusting companies that use AI as much or more than those that don’t.

In Australia, that trust correlates with higher satisfaction: among those who trust AI-driven firms, 66% are happier with the service they receive, and 72% report feeling happier overall.

Frequent interaction with AI also appears to reinforce trust. Among Australian consumers who engage with AI weekly and already trust the technology, confidence in AI-enabled companies nearly doubles. Over half of this group say AI has improved their customer service experiences.

However, a disconnect remains between consumer sentiment and executive perception. While 37% of C-suite leaders globally fear a lack of consumer trust in AI, the data suggests otherwise.

Executives tend to overestimate consumer priorities, emphasizing 24/7 service availability, whereas consumers rank speed of resolution highest.

Additionally, while 68% of business leaders say customer service is their top area for AI investment, only 44% feel well prepared to manage this transition.

In Australia, key drivers of satisfaction include stress-free (43%), effortless (32%), and personalized service (25%). Globally, consumers are most open to automation in tasks such as cancelling or changing subscriptions (38%), hotel check-ins and check-outs (29%), and account closures after bereavement (28%).

Australians also show a willingness to invest in improved experiences: 43% would pay extra for better service. On average, they’re willing to spend AUD $41 per month on an AI assistant – comparable to USD $39 in the US and just below USD $50 among Gen Z in the US.

Consumers in Brazil are the most willing to pay a premium; those in the UK are the least. Executive estimates on this willingness tend to overshoot, expecting a 76% uptake – 23 points above actual consumer response.

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Author: Hannah Swankie
Reviewed by: Megan Jones