Many firms have spent the last decade chasing digital transformation — layering on new touchpoints, piloting chatbots, and slogging through complex automation. Yet customers still encounter friction at nearly every turn. Why? Because the results of these efforts was an arcane web of websites, apps, interactive voice response systems, and databases.
That’s starting to change. Emerging technologies in 2025 aren’t only being accelerated by breakthroughs in AI — they’re converging to enable something new: seamless, adaptive customer experiences. These are the kind we’ve imagined for years: personalized offers before a need is expressed; context-aware agents that suggest answers instead of menus; and in-store, in-app, and in-conversation interactions that just flow. But unlocking that future takes more than tech — it takes foresight.
AI Is The New Interface To Your Brand
As we wrote in Dear AI, Please Change The World Already, AI is quickly becoming the new interface to your brand. Customers won’t judge you on your stack — they’ll judge you on how well you use AI to make experiences easy and meaningful.
That’s why the firms poised to lead aren’t just adopting AI. They’re aligning customer experience (CX), marketing, tech, and security teams to deliver something greater: frictionless experiences built on a foundation of trust.
From Tech Hype To Tangible Progress
Skepticism is justified. Many CX pros have seen too many flashy demos lead nowhere; today’s emerging technologies are different, however. Generative AI has ignited acceleration across a wider ecosystem: agentic AI that reasons, edge intelligence that adapts in real time, and humanoid robots that can connect with us.
This convergence marks a shift from complexity to new interfaces at the experience level and agents underneath that eliminate organizational friction.
Trust Is What Makes It Work
Here’s the catch: Seamless experiences can’t happen without customer trust. Personalization without permission feels invasive; automation without explanation breeds anxiety; and AI that acts without accountability can damage relationships.
To make these technologies work, you need a foundation of trust — robust security, ethical design, clear governance — embedded from the start. And that requires true collaboration across digital, CX, tech, and risk teams.
Want A Preview Of What’s Coming?
If you’re a CX, marketing, or digital business leader aiming to use emerging tech not just as a tool but as a differentiator, my session “Emerging Technology Dissolves The Barriers Between You And Your Customer” is for you. At Forrester’s CX Summit North America, I’ll share:
The top 10 emerging technologies transforming CX.
How to apply Forrester’s benefit horizons to align timing with investment.
Practical examples of using AI and automation to remove friction at key customer moments.
No tech jargon, no dashboard dumps — just the insight you need to lead with foresight.
Ready To See What’s Possible?
Join me and other thought leaders at Forrester’s CX Summit North America. The future of CX isn’t just intuitive — it’s imminent. And the firms that prepare today will lead tomorrow.
