Consumers Prefer AI Agents When Resolution Is Guaranteed

A NiCE and Metrigy survey of 1,000 US adults finds AI service preference rises when businesses promise to resolve issues.

Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Artificial Intelligence

Consumers Prefer AI Agents When Resolution Is Guaranteed

Live Poll

Would you choose an AI agent over a human for customer service if it guaranteed resolution?

Preference for AI customer service agents rose to 28.8% from 23% when respondents were told their issue would be resolved, according to research published by NiCE with Metrigy. The study drew on responses from 1,000 US adults.

Why it matters

The findings suggest consumer willingness to use automated support depends on confidence that it will work rather than novelty. For US businesses deploying AI in customer service, reliable resolution appears to matter more than the channel itself.

The survey measured AI agent preference at 28.8% with resolution guaranteed versus 23% without, with the retail AI Index at 108.1 against a Q1 2026 baseline of 100. The extraction does not specify how resolution performance was measured by businesses.

The players

NiCE

NiCE is a publicly traded software company that sells customer experience and contact center technology, including AI-driven service tools.

Metrigy

Metrigy is a technology research and advisory firm that conducts market studies on enterprise software and digital transformation.

The details

Respondents were asked about AI agent preference both with and without a guaranteed resolution. Trust was named by 41% of consumers as the most important factor in dealings with businesses, ahead of issue resolution at 35.4%.

Q1 2026: Baseline quarter against which the diffusion index was set.
November 10, 2026: NiCE published the research on AI customer service preference.

Market Landscape

The findings track NiCE's Q1 2026 diffusion index, which uses a baseline of 100 to measure consumer sentiment toward AI in service. The current reading of 108.1 for retail indicates modest gains in comfort with automated support.

Consumers contacting businesses may be offered AI agents more often, and the research suggests they will accept them more readily when issues are reliably resolved. Customers can still expect the option to choose between an AI agent and a human, cited by 37% of respondents as the most valued premium feature.

The takeaway

For businesses, the research indicates that guaranteeing resolution may matter more than the presence of AI itself. Companies deploying automated service may find that clear escalation to a human when needed supports consumer acceptance.