CX Today Why 95% of AI Pilots Fail – and How to Be the 5% That Wins
Nov 4, 2025
Will Penn, Senior Sales Engineer at Puzzel, brings a wealth of knowledge about AI co-pilots in customer experience. He reveals why 95% of AI pilots fail, highlighting issues like poor data foundations and fragmented systems. Will emphasizes the importance of starting with simple automations to build adoption. He advocates for a hybrid approach where machines enhance human empathy instead of replacing them. Real success stories, like Help Insurance using Puzzel’s Live Summary, showcase the potential of well-implemented AI strategies.
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Data Foundations Determine AI Success
- AI pilots fail mainly because organizations lack data foundations and understanding of how to use AI effectively.
- Winning organizations tidy their data, pick automatable tasks, and deploy AI deliberately with clear KPIs.
Automate The Boring Tasks First
- Start small by automating low-friction, high-impact tasks that agents dislike, like call note-taking.
- Measure outcomes and scale gradually rather than applying AI across everything at once.
Empathy And Efficiency Can Coexist
- Efficiency and empathy are complementary when automation handles routine work and humans handle meaningful interactions.
- Freeing agents from admin tasks raises their emotional bandwidth and improves empathetic service.