对话体验：AI在客户参与中的未开发潜力

HBRAnalyticServicesPULSESURVEY The way we communicate has alwaysshaped how we do business. But todaythe pace and nature of change incommunication technology are nothingshort of transformational.From the era of landlines and lettersto the rise of mobile, messaging, andon-demand platforms, communica-tion has become faster, smarter, andmore personalized. Today, apps likeWhatsApp, Rich CommunicationServices, and Apple Messages forBusiness have made real-time messag-ing-first interactions not just possiblebut expected.We’re entering a new era fueled bygenerative and agentic artificial intel-ligence (AI), intelligent automation,and conversational platforms that areredefining how businesses engagewith their customers. These tools domore than support conversations; theylearn from them, shape them, and evenanticipate what comes next.What was once reactive is now proac-tive. What used to feel transactionalnow feels personal. And as technologycontinues to evolve, so do the expec-tations of every customer in everychannel and at every touchpoint. Yetfor many organizations, meeting theseexpectations—especially across differ-ent regions, languages, and cultures—remains a complex challenge.This research by Harvard BusinessReview Analytic Services, in associ-ation with Infobip, explores how thisshift in business-to-customer (B2C)communication is unfolding in realtime across industries. It reveals howforward-thinking organizations aremoving from traditional communicationmodels to dynamic AI-enabled experi-ences that put people—not platforms—at the center.As a global communication platform,Infobip is working with innovators todevelop new tools for B2C interactions,focusing on hyper-personalized conver-sations. These technological advance-ments are intended to complementhuman connections, not replace them.The next wave of business communi-cation will be defined by immediacy,context, and personalization—driven bydata, powered by AI, and designed forreal impact.In supporting this report, Infobip aimsto contribute to a deeper understand-ing of how digital communication isevolving and to provide more insightson how to enable meaningful conver-sations between brands and theircustomers, no matter where they are orhow they choose to connect.By combining insights, innovative tech-nology, and a shared curiosity aboutwhat’s next, we hope this report sparksThe Future of Communication Is Already in ConversationIvan OstojicChief Business OfficerInfobipnew ideas and fosters dialogue acrossthe business community—becausewhen communication evolves, every-thing else follows.Join the conversation about thefuture of business communication.For more information, please visitwww.infobip.com. HIGHLIGHTSDue to rounding, some figures in this reportmay not add up to 100%.The launch of OpenAI’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot,ChatGPT, in late November 2022 didn’t only changeconversations in boardrooms and coffeehouses acrossAmerica. “The whole world began to change,” recallsKate Ancketill, CEO of GDR Creative Intelligence Ltd., aLondon-based consultancy specializing in the future ofcustomer experience. “People realized that you could have aconversational exchange with a computer and it would be ableto respond to you in a way that was close to what feels like ahuman conversation.”SINCE THEN,organizations have beenchasing the promise of AI and its abil-ity to simulate human interactionswith consumers across the customerjourney with varying degrees of suc-cess. Communication platforms suchas SMS texting, email, messaging apps,social media messaging, and chat-bots continue to multiply, serving aspowerful digital channels for engagingconversationally with customers. Forinstance, live chat features embeddedin e-commerce websites let customersask questions in real time about prod-uct pricing or availability. With SMStexting, brands can provide customerswith up-to-the-minute package-track-ing information. And messagingapps can reengage existing custom-ers with promotional offers based onprevious purchases. The result is a93%of respondents say creatingpositive conversationalexperiencesis extremelyimportant or very important totheir organization.87%of respondents agree with thestatement, “It’s important to myorganization that conversationalexperiences bepersonalized,meaningful, andhumanlike.”36%say their organization isextremelyorvery effectiveatcreating positive conversationalexperiences today.Conversational ExperiencesThe Untapped Potential of AIin Customer Engagementconversational experience that notonly traverses multiple channels butalso engages customers at precisetouchpoints throughout the entire cus-tomer journey.In fact, according to a February 2025survey by Harvard Business ReviewAnalytic Services of 167 members ofthe Harvard Business Review audiencefamiliar with their organization’s useof communication platforms to engagewith customers, 93% of respondentsbelieve creating positive conversa-tional experiences is extremely import-ant or very importa