Speed became table stakes. The brands pulling ahead are the ones teaching AI to recognize what customers actually feel. The Gist Speed became table stakes. AI improved response times, but customers increasingly differentiate brands based on relevance, awareness and emotional understanding. Context drives better AI experiences. Customer history, behavioral signals and connected systems help AI interactions feel more personalized and human. Growth follows stronger relationships. Organizations connecting service, marketing and commerce data create customer experiences that improve loyalty and retention. A great customer experience rarely stays remarkable for long. What once felt thoughtful quickly becomes expected, then invisible. Customers adjust faster than most brands anticipate, and that constant reset is what makes customer experience so difficult to get right. AI has accelerated that shift. Faster responses, instant answers and always-on support have raised the baseline.…