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What Trust-First AI Looks Like in Practice

Welcome guest contributor Jonathan McKenzie! Jonathan is an AI CX Leader specializing in Conversational and Generative AI for Vertical Partner 8×8. As an expert in designing and deploying virtual agents and LLM-driven customer experiences that transform customer engagement, Jonathan has a proven track record in leveraging AI to optimize contact center performance, streamline workflows, and elevate digital and voice interactions.

This article is part of a multi-part series with Vertical’s curated product partners and their perspective on AI.

Imagine this customer journey:

A customer contacts your brand and is recognised immediately across all channels
The AI knows the customer history but asks permission before acting on it
When the AI can’t solve something, it explains why and smoothly connects them to a human who has full context
Follow-up happens automatically, but customers can opt out anytime

This isn’t science fiction. Companies are already building these experiences.

When AI Breaks Trust: What Not to Do

The “Black Hole” Bot: Customers get stuck in endless loops with no way to reach a human.

The “Know-It-All” AI: Systems that claim they can help with everything but fail at most tasks.

The “Amnesia” Experience: AI that forgets previous conversations, forcing customers to repeat themselves.

The “Data Creep” Problem: Using customer information in ways that feel invasive rather than helpful.

How Do You Measure Trust?

Traditional CX metrics miss the mark. NPS and CSAT measure satisfaction, not trust. Instead, look for:

Repeat engagement rates with AI channels (do customers come back?)
Feature adoption rates (do customers try new AI capabilities?)
Escalation patterns (are customers asking for humans less often over time?)

According to Salesforce, 73% of customers expect companies to understand their needs and expectations, but only 51% say companies deliver on this. The gap isn’t about technology capability; it’s about trust implementation.

The Trust-First AI Checklist

Does the customer know when they’re interacting with AI?

Can they easily reach a human when needed?

Is the AI transparent about what it can and can’t do?

Does it maintain context across interactions?

Are data practices clearly explained?

Does the AI admit when it doesn’t know something?

Building AI That Customers Want to Use

As an AI product manager, I start with one question: “How do we make this interaction feel more human, not less?”

That means designing AI that doesn’t just solve problems faster, it solves them better.

The product decisions we make today will determine whether customers see AI as a barrier or a bridge to better experiences.

Trust isn’t a nice-to-have metric in our dashboards; it’s our north star. Because in a world where AI can replicate any feature, authentic human-centred design becomes our only sustainable competitive advantage.

What’s Next: The Trust Advantage

The brands that win won’t be those with the most sophisticated AI. They’ll be the ones that use AI to amplify human connection, not replace it.

Voice AI that listens. Predictive service that helps without being creepy. Personalisation that feels caring, not manipulative.

This is our moment to prove that technology and trust aren’t opposing forces; they’re the most powerful combination we’ve ever had.

Ready to start?

Pick one customer journey. Map every AI touchpoint. Ask yourself: Does this build trust or erode it? Then redesign accordingly.

The brands that get this right won’t just retain customers, they’ll turn them into advocates who can’t stop talking about how much they love working with you.

Because in a world where choice is infinite, trust is the one thing customers will always stay for.

Ready to ensure your AI is Trustworthy AI?

About 8×8

8×8, Inc. connects people and organizations through seamless communication on the industry’s most integrated platform for Customer Experience – combining Contact Center, Unified Communication, and CPaaS solutions. The 8×8® Platform for CX integrates AI at every level to enable personalized customer journeys, drive operational excellence and insights, and facilitate team collaboration. 8×8 helps customer experience and IT leaders become the heartbeat of their organizations, empowering them to unlock the potential of every interaction.