NiCE and Metrigy Research Finds Growing Openness to AI as Trust Shapes Customer Experience

Detailed summary

28.8% of consumers would choose an AI agent when resolution is guaranteed, up 5.8 percentage points since Q1 2026

GUEST RESEARCH: 28.8% of consumers would choose an AI agent when resolution is guaranteed, up 5.8 percentage points since Q1 2026

NiCE (NASDAQ: NICE), a CX AI company, today released findings from the Q3 2026 AI Consumer Experience Index showing that consumers are more willing to choose AI agents when they know their issue will be resolved. Conducted by Metrigy, in partnership with NiCE, the new research highlights an opportunity for enterprises to earn customer trust and loyalty through AI that delivers accurate service and connects customers with a person when needed.

The quarterly study surveys 1,000 U.S. adults to measure how customer service experiences compare with expectations across eight dimensions, including AI satisfaction, AI trust and issue resolution. Scores track change from a Q1 2026 baseline of 100.

For the third consecutive quarter, trust ranked first among the factors consumers value most in interactions with businesses, selected by 41%, ahead of resolution at 35.4%. When resolution was guaranteed, 28.8% said they would choose an AI agent, up from 23% in Q1. Accuracy was the leading reason consumers chose a service channel, cited by 54.7%. Together, the findings point to a practical priority for CX leaders: make reliable outcomes the foundation of AI adoption.

“AI adoption is earned every time a customer gets the help they need,” said Arun Chandra, Chief Operating Officer, NiCE. “The next wave of adoption depends on AI agents that understand the customer, take action and carry the context forward when a person needs to step in. NiCE brings together NiCE Cognigy and NiCE CXone to help enterprises connect AI agents, workflows and human expertise, turning AI innovation into customer experiences that build trust.”

The findings also reinforce the importance of earning loyalty with each interaction. Consumers said they would tolerate an average of 2.78 poor experiences before leaving a company, assuming they could do so, down from 3.24 in Q1.

“Trust isn’t a…

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