Artificial intelligence may reshape customer experience (CX), but consumers say empathy can’t be automated.
Verizon’s latest report shows that while AI excels at efficiency, it still falls short on the emotional intelligence customers expect when problems arise. A striking 88 per cent of consumers favour human agents for online interactions, compared to just 60 per cent satisfaction with AI-only systems. The biggest frustration? Nearly half of the respondents said being unable to reach a live agent left them stranded.
The brand lesson is straightforward: CX’s future is not about choosing between humans and machines, but about blending the best of both. With 44 per cent of companies planning balanced investments across AI and human-led solutions, forward-thinking businesses are already embracing hybrid models. AI can streamline transactions and queries, but the human touch resolves complaints, rebuilds trust, and leaves lasting loyalty.
Crucially, the report stresses upskilling the workforce. From handling chatbot frustrations to navigating data privacy concerns, employees need tools and training to work confidently alongside AI. Done right, this partnership doesn’t replace people; it empowers them.
Technology may drive the process in CX, but humanity will always define the experience.
REGIONAL
Indonesian prosecutors seize TaniHub ex-CEO’s land in US$25M fraud probe
Ivan Ari Sustiawan’s land, located in Bandung, West Java, covers 4,700 square meters | Ivan Ari Sustiawan was named a suspect alongside MDI Ventures director DW and former TaniHub director ET on July 28, 2025 | Investigators are also tracking assets linked to other individuals involved in the case.
Indonesia’s e-commerce transactions hit US$2.7B in July 2025
Bank Indonesia deputy governor Filianingsih Hendarta said this marks a 6.41% year-on-year rise and a 2.32% increase from the previous month | The total number of e-commerce transactions hit 466.93 million, up 16.89% year-on-year and 6.64% month-on-month.
Foxconn makes its first big leap into robotics with US$30M bet on Robocore
Proceeds from this latest funding round will be primarily allocated to strengthening Robocore’s telemedicine business across the US, Europe, and Japan | Additionally, funds will be used to launch new products for mainland China’s consumer market and expand global sales and marketing operations.
Agridence acquires ‘farmer connect’ in bid to tackle EU supply chain regulations
This strategic move, supported by newly secured investment, will enable Agridence to build a unified offering designed to help agribusinesses “efficiently” meet stringent regulatory compliance and supply chain transparency requirements across numerous commodities.
Singapore fintech firm Nium reports US$50B annual transactions
The cross-border payments firm reported its first EBITDA-positive month in July 2025 | Nanu said this was the company’s highest month for both revenue and transaction volumes since its founding ten years ago.
ShopBack turns profitable this quarter
The Singapore-based cashback platform said users earned US$40 million in cashback | Its merchant partners saw US$1.2 billion in sales driven by the platform | ShopBack operates across Asia Pacific, connecting consumers with online and offline retailers through cashback rewards.
AnyMind Group launches AI avatar livestreaming to power the future of creator commerce
AnyLive for Creators is a platform that lets influencers develop AI avatars capable of hosting livestreams and driving affiliate commerce, even while the creators themselves are offline.
Kozystay raises Series A to scale Indonesia’s short-term rental market amid hospitality shift
Investors include Integra Partners, Cercano Management, Intudo Ventures, and Cercano | The Indonesian hospitality company aims for 1,000+ properties by 2025 as extended-stay demand reshapes travel and real estate in Southeast Asia.
Aspire unveils yield product to help SMEs optimise idle cash
Aspire Yield enables SMEs access Singapore and US dollar-denominated money market funds, earning up to 2.04-3.88 per cent per annum | This is significantly higher than the standard 0.01 per cent to 0.25 per cent offered by traditional business savings accounts.
AMD taps Sunny Gandhi to strengthen APJ commercial channel strategy
In his new role, Gandhi will oversee channel enablement, driving operational excellence, and executing robust sales strategies throughout AMD’s extensive commercial channel ecosystem in the region | The appointment is expected to play a central role in advancing AMD’s commercial channel strategy in APJ.
Indonesian QR code payments to launch in China by end of 2025
The central bank has tested QRIS in China since August 2025 with partners including the Indonesian Payment System Association, UnionPay International, and payment providers | Bank Indonesia said it is in the final phase of sandbox testing.
REPORTS, INTERVIEWS & FEATURES
88% of consumers favour human agents; AI alone fails to deliver CX satisfaction
The most prominent frustration consumers cite in automated interactions, by a large margin, is the inability to speak or chat with a live agent when needed, affecting 47 per cent of respondents | Brands concur, noting a similar proportion of customer complaints regarding this lack of human access.
Verizon report: Businesses hail AI in CX, but customers still prefer humans
While 60 per cent of consumers express general satisfaction with automated interactions, a significant 47 per cent report frustration primarily due to a lack of access to human agents when needed.
Salesforce study 2025: Only 4 per cent of CFOs still play it safe on AI
Just five years ago, a striking 70 per cent of global CFOs adhered to a conservative AI strategy, a figure that dropped to 34 per cent two years ago | Today, that number has plummeted to a mere 4 per cent, indicating a widespread recognition among financial leaders that AI is now a crucial tool for enhancing efficiency.
Quantum computing’s double-edged sword could threaten cybersecurity: Report
Quantum computing has the ability to render current encryption obsolete | Today’s data security largely depends on encryption techniques that quantum computers could eventually crack—potentially exposing everything from financial data to state secrets.
Forget the rest: ChatGPT alone drives more traffic than 10,500 AI tools combined
ChatGPT remains the undisputed leader, cementing its position as the global default for AI interaction | The OpenAI flagship recorded an unmatched 46.59 billion total web visits from August 2024 to July 2025, demonstrating a robust 106 per cent year-over-year growth.
AI personalisation isn’t working; more consumers say it hurts CX than improves it
Verizon’s 2025 CX Report reveals that more consumers (30 per cent) believe AI-driven personalisation has detracted from their overall CX than those who feel it has improved it (26 per cent).
Agentification is one of the top tech trends of 2025. Here is what you need to know
Agentification refers to the development of AI systems that function as independent agents rather than mere tools for singular tasks | These AI agents are designed to interact, collaborate, and manage increasingly complex processes with minimal human intervention.
PocketSmith wants to put every ‘household CFO’ back in control of their money
CEO Jason Leong reflects on the company’s international journey, his Malaysian roots, and the opportunities emerging in Southeast Asia as digital banking and open finance take hold.
How Jaslyin Qiyu is redefining marketing leadership with flexible talent models and real impact
At Mad About Marketing, Qiyu focuses on brand building, client experience, MarTech, and performance marketing, while championing flexible, fractional talent models that empower women to pursue both career and personal goals.
INTERNATIONAL
OpenAI to open first India office this year
The move comes after OpenAI launched its lowest-priced monthly ChatGPT plan in India at US$4.6, aiming at the country’s nearly 1 billion internet users | India has the highest number of student users on ChatGPT, and weekly active users in the country have quadrupled over the past year.
OpenAI chief people officer to exit, company says
Julia Villagra joined the San Francisco-based artificial intelligence maker in February 2024 as the head of human resources, according to her LinkedIn profile | In March, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced, opens new tab that she had been promoted to the chief people officer role.
Asia’s wealthy investors boost crypto investments
High-net-worth families and family offices in Asia are increasing their investments in cryptocurrencies, driven by rising interest and recent regulatory changes | Wealth managers in HK and Singapore report more enquiries from these investors, while crypto exchanges and funds have seen higher demand.
SEMICONDUCTOR
Intel in talks with investors for equity boost at discount
Shares of Intel dropped nearly 7% on August 20, 2025, after a brief surge when the company announced a US$2 billion investment from SoftBank | Intel is seeking more external funding as it works to recover from several years of declining sales and reduced market share.
Nvidia halts H20 AI chip work under China pressure: report
The firm has told suppliers, including Samsung Electronics and Amkor Technology, to halt work on its H20 AI chip | The move comes after Chinese authorities reportedly advised local firms not to use the H20 chip.
Trump weighs US$2B CHIPS Act funding for critical minerals: sources
This move would shift funds intended for semiconductor research and factory construction to projects aimed at reducing US reliance on China for minerals used in electronics and defense.
AI
Singaporeans are among the most optimistic about the economic impact of AI
Singaporean users engage with AI for a variety of purposes, including entertainment, work-related tasks, personal communication, and education | In the workplace, AI is commonly used for writing and communications, problem-solving, brainstorming, and document summarisation.
Ethical implications of using AI in hiring
Recruitment is an area of decision-making where biases are rampant and affect a significant fraction of society | While there has been considerable social and legal innuendoes and aspersions building pressure to make this process fair and equitable, we are far from any utopic realm of unbiased recruitment.
Exploring the boundaries of AI: What AI can or cannot do?
AI has transformed the customer-business relationship, making it more personal and tailored to individual preferences | Advanced ML techniques and AI analyse vast amounts of data to understand customer preferences, purchase history, browsing behaviour, and demographic information.
Securing Singapore’s leadership in AI Innovation
Singapore’s journey towards AI leadership is evident in the wide-ranging impact of AI technologies across different sectors, enhancing productivity, risk assessment, and decision-making processes.
The AI age is changing the data centre industry – Here’s how Singapore can pivot
The country has limited space for data centres that are pivotal to AI workloads, as there is no shortage of competing uses for land | It needs more data centres to continue to support technology innovations but not at the cost of resource efficiency.
Embracing AI in education: Expanding horizons for students
AI is not a threat but an aid to educators, capable of improving personalisation, comprehension, and efficiency for all students | AI for education isn’t about offloading our thinking to robots but about building a base of more educated citizens.
Talents remain an issue in AI proliferation, but here are 6 steps that businesses can do to tackle it
A report reveals widespread difficulties in hiring AI specialists, such as data scientists and machine learning engineers, as well as non-specialists trained to use AI tools | Although the demand for AI capabilities continues to rise, companies are struggling to build a workforce equipped to meet it.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Bitcoin’s big moment: Can crypto shine as stocks stumble before Jackson Hole?
Markets brace for Powell’s Jackson Hole speech as tariffs, Fed politics, and crypto resilience shape a fragile global risk sentiment.
Climate tech’s shift from doing good to doing well
Climate tech is shifting from principle-driven projects to profitable ventures, with investors backing innovations from cement to clean aviation.
From peak scrolling to personalised communities: The Gen AI solution
As AI drives change, creators aiming to build a Gen AI app must reassess data flows to craft a magical, creative Gen-AI experience with meaningful data.
Two decades of digital defence: Why cybersecurity must remain a top concern for everyone
Cybercriminals are using AI to develop much more sophisticated and automated attack strategies | AI-powered cyberattacks also have the potential to adapt in real-time as they learn how a targeted organisation’s cyber defences work.
Why digitalising SMEs matters for Southeast Asia’s economic resilience
If the purpose of tech is to amplify human effort, then giving SMEs access to simple, affordable automation is one of the most direct ways to strengthen Southeast Asia’s economic resilience.
Inside Zara’s value chain: Speed, scale, and the cost of fast fashion
Zara’s operations rely on processes that are resource-intensive and polluting | Dyeing and fabric finishing contribute to water contamination, while the transportation of materials and products across continents adds to fashion’s estimated 10 per cent share of global GHG emissions.
The post Ecosystem Roundup: Consumers want humans in CX | TaniHub ex-CEO hit in US$25M fraud | Salesforce: 4% CFOs still cautious on AI appeared first on e27.