AI Can Transform Customer Experience, But Are We Creating More Customer Value?

By Joseph Choge,

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the way organisations operate. From automated customer service and personalised recommendations to predictive analytics and digital platforms, AI is transforming how businesses understand customers, make decisions and deliver services. What once seemed like a distant technological possibility is now becoming part of everyday business.

But as organisations accelerate their adoption of AI, there is a more fundamental question that leaders must ask: Are we using AI to create better customer value, or are we simply using it to become more efficient?

This distinction is becoming increasingly important. According to Capgemini Research Institute’s report, Reimagining Customer Experience: Human-led, AI-powered, AI is becoming increasingly critical to Customer Experience, but organisations must address gaps around emotional connection, continuity across customer journeys, data trust and effective AI adoption. The report makes a strong case for a human-led, AI-powered approach.

That human dimension is equally reflected in PwC’s 2025 Customer Experience Survey, which found that 86% of consumers consider human interaction essential to their brand experience.

For many years, organisations have understandably focused on efficiency, transactions, revenue and cost optimisation. These remain important measures of business performance. However, the expectations of today’s customer are changing. Customers want organisations that are faster and more responsive, more personalised and data-driven, but at the same time, more human. They expect consistency across different touchpoints and experiences that demonstrate that organisations understand their needs.

This is where Return on Experience, or ROX, becomes increasingly important.

The conversation around AI has often begun with automation. How many processes can we automate? How much time can we save? How many more customers can we serve? How much can we reduce our operating costs?

These are important measures. But they should not be the only measures.

The question leaders should also be asking is: What becomes better for the customer because we introduced AI?

An organisation can introduce a chatbot and successfully reduce call volumes, but if customers find it harder to speak to a human being when dealing with a complex or sensitive issue, efficiency may have improved while the experience has deteriorated. A bank can use AI to process applications faster, but if customers do not understand why a particular decision has been made, speed alone will not necessarily build trust. A public institution can digitise a service, but if it assumes every citizen has equal access to technology, connectivity and digital skills, it may have created a digital process without necessarily creating an inclusive experience.

The real opportunity, therefore, is to move from technology-led transformation to experience-led transformation.

In Africa, we are already beginning to see what this shift can look like. A Sprinklr customer experience case study on Jumia found that the company recorded a 76% increase in customer satisfaction after implementing an AI-powered, omnichannel customer experience platform. The technology was not valuable simply because it automated customer interactions. The improvement was reflected in what changed for the customer: faster responses, stronger case resolution and fewer escalations.

This is an important lesson for organisations across Africa and Kenya. The success of AI should not be measured only by what happens inside the organisation. It should also be measured by what the customer actually experiences.

AI gives organisations extraordinary capabilities. It can analyse enormous amounts of customer feedback, identify patterns, anticipate needs, personalise interactions and help leaders make faster, more informed decisions. It can help us understand what customers are doing at a scale that was previously impossible.

Technology can identify a pattern, generate an insight and automate an interaction, but people determine whether that interaction builds or erodes trust. This is why the human element of Customer Experience is not becoming less important in the age of AI. In many ways, it is becoming more important.

As AI becomes embedded in more customer interactions, customers will increasingly expect convenience and speed while simultaneously demanding transparency, empathy and accountability. They will want personalised services, but they will also want confidence that their information is being used responsibly.

This is particularly important in Africa, where customer realities are diverse. We cannot simply replicate customer experience models developed globally and assume they will

deliver the same results in our markets. The realities of connectivity, digital literacy, affordability, language and access continue to shape how customers experience services.

For organisations operating in Kenya and across the continent, AI presents enormous opportunities. It can help expand access to services, improve responsiveness, personalise customer engagement and enable businesses to reach and serve more people. It can also help organisations avoid inefficient systems that have traditionally made doing business difficult for customers.

But innovation must remain grounded in local realities and a genuine understanding of the people we serve. The challenge, therefore, is not to automate every interaction. It is to understand where technology creates value and where human connection