Many people do not fully understand how powerful AI is becoming. They think AI can only do small tasks. But AI can already solve hard problems, create new ideas, and improve our daily work. It can write, talk, see, and even learn by itself. This is just the beginning.
Most of us still believe AI is far from real change. But AI is already changing many industries. It helps doctors find diseases early. It helps farmers grow better crops. It supports teachers and students. AI makes businesses faster and smarter. It can also help fight climate change and protect nature.
Some people fear AI will take over jobs. That fear is not wrong. But we must also see the good side. AI can remove boring work. It can give people more time to think and be creative. We should learn how to use AI to help us, not to replace us.
AI is growing very fast. We must stay curious. We must test, learn, and grow with it. If we ignore AI, we fall behind. If we explore it, we move ahead. The future will be shaped by those who work with AI, not those who fear it.
What does Experience Management mean in the age of AI?
Zig Serafin, the CEO of Qualtrics, explains it in an interview. He talks about the power of connected systems and how strong AI agents have become.
Zig Serafin has led Qualtrics, a company focused on Experience Management, since 2020. Since then, the number of customers has increased by 4,000. Today, Qualtrics serves 20,000 customers. Zig Serafin used to work at Microsoft. Now, he wants to connect technology, research, and psychology in one system.
At the X4 customer event in London, he spoke about important topics. He explained why classic CRM systems have limits. He talked about the new role of AI-powered “Experience Agents.” He also shared why strong customer relationships give a major business advantage.
Mr. Serafin, you’ve studied how and why customers feel the way they do for many years. How far have you come?
That’s a good question. It reminds me of my decision to leave Microsoft almost nine years ago. I had worked there for nearly 20 years. I helped build Microsoft Teams and worked on early AI technologies.
Back then, I realized something important. The success of AI strongly depends on feedback systems. These systems must understand human reactions, emotions, and expectations. This is not just a technical problem. It’s mainly a psychological challenge.
Today, we work exactly at that point where technology, data science, and human sciences meet. We help companies find answers to very complex questions. Our methods use solid statistics and real data.
We help them decide which markets are worth entering. We show them which customer groups matter the most. We explain how expectations change in certain industries. This is the heart of experience management.
In reality, many customers face the opposite of good service. They wait in long phone queues, receive wrong products, and deal with disconnected systems.
Sadly, this problem is common and has deep structural reasons. Over the past 20 years, many companies handled digital changes inside their departments.
The call center got its own system. The website had a separate team. The app had its own setup too.
As companies grew, these separate setups increased. Every department—like HR, marketing, and others—built their own systems without connecting them.
This created a scattered technology setup across the whole company. These systems do not work smoothly together.
Instead of thinking from the customer's side and building from outside in, companies built everything from the inside out.
They focused more on internal processes than on customer experience.
What do the best companies do differently?
They build a consistent view of their customers across every point of contact. They notice early where the market is heading. And they act quickly when something goes wrong. Usually, these companies have leaders who want to know daily about customer satisfaction and the actions taken. Brands like BMW, Mercedes, and big e-commerce players use our platform for this exact reason.
Is it about breaking down silos?
Yes. We connect all channels like apps, websites, call centers, and social media into one complete view. We call this the "omnichannel" approach.
Imagine a small-town shop. The owner knows every customer, their likes, and their history. People still want this personal connection today—even in the digital world.
Surprisingly, artificial intelligence helps us bring back this human closeness. It doesn’t make things feel more technical. Instead, it makes the experience feel more personal and human.
You recently introduced the "Experience Agents." What role do these AI agents play?
These AI agents work like super-employees. They operate 24/7 and are active at every touchpoint. They help companies understand customer experiences, improve them, and develop them further in advance. They don’t just support customers. They also play a growing role in improving employee experiences.
People often talk about the "golden age" of AI. What does that really mean?
I compare it to the time of industrialization. Back then, steel helped build cities, bridges, and machines. Today, AI plays a similar role. Large language models and neural networks create a new kind of digital infrastructure.
We are still building this foundation. Companies set up data centers, develop special processors, and design agent-based systems. These tools are still growing.
Soon, AI will fully take over repetitive tasks. This will free up people’s time. Humans can then focus on things that only they can do — like being creative, showing empathy, and thinking strategically.
Artificial intelligence helps us bring back human connection. It does not make experiences more technical. Instead, it makes them feel more human.
— Zig Serafin, Qualtrics
Do you see clear results with your business clients?
Yes – very clear results. Now, they can notice market changes much faster. They understand better how customer expectations connect with economic conditions. For example, KFC uses Qualtrics to manage their stores carefully, whether it is about changing menus or gathering team feedback. Bosch increased its employee data analysis from 35% to over 95% in just minutes instead of months. This changes how decisions get made.
Are consumer expectations higher today than before?
Yes, absolutely. People now compare every experience with their favorite brand, no matter the industry. If I can finish everything in seconds with my favorite service, I wonder why my bank can't do the same.
Customers can switch to competitors with just one click. This puts pressure on all companies to give fast, real-time experiences. People want quick replies and real human connection.
If a company can’t do that, it will lose customers. Our platform helps different types of companies. Some are big market leaders who want to stay strong. Others are new disruptors who want to test and learn faster than their competitors.
What comes next? Which technologies will shape the industry?
Two important things are coming.
First, AI will act as a smart thinking partner for strategy. Our system, called "Qualtrics Edge," helps test different scenarios. For example, it can simulate how a market might react or how certain customer groups might behave. Leaders can use this to get strong, data-backed answers. They don’t need to spend millions on traditional market research.
Second, AI agents are becoming much more powerful. Right now, their ability doubles every six months. Soon, many AI agents will work together. For example, one agent will handle customer experience while another focuses on operations. Together, they can do jobs that today need full teams. This will change the game completely.
Are there limits to what can be automated?
In the short term, yes. In the long term, probably not. We likely underestimate what will be possible in five or ten years. But one thing always stays the same: our focus is on understanding people. Experience Management means creating deeper, more personal connections and helping organizations serve people better.
Many companies are still at the very beginning. What do you advise them?
Do not try to do everything at once. Start small. Our system works like a Lego set: it is modular, scalable, and ready to use immediately. Some begin with strategic research. Others start with customer feedback or employee satisfaction inside the company. Each building block gives value. With every new block, the whole picture grows bigger. This is how real change happens.
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