AI is accelerating faster than expected. A year ago, many of us were still in the experimentation phase with agents, and generally unclear about what it all meant. Now, AI has moved from sidekick-with-potential to transforming entire industries.

As we reach an inflection point in software, I have nine predictions for AI for contact centers this year. And partners, after you read these, we’d love to hear your thoughts. Stop by the Vonage booth #1347 at the 2026 Channel Partner Conference & Expo and join the conversation.

1. AI agents can’t replace critical systems. You simply can’t vibe code your way into a new contact center platform. Mission-critical systems like CRM and ERP are not going away, though AI agents will automate and augment workflows and improve customer relationships.

2. The focus on security and network APIs will intensify. Fraudsters are using AI too, making their attacks more sophisticated. Scammers breach systems long before people realize what’s happening, undermining the trust between businesses and their customers in seconds. But businesses have a powerful new weapon: network APIs that can tap into mobile network insights to verify users like never before.

Trust has become the cornerstone of enterprise technology partnerships. In the next year, expect a surge in the use of network-powered solutions to verify caller identity and location, along with advanced fraud detection systems that monitor for suspicious activity patterns in real time.

3. High-fidelity mobile video expands in business. Say goodbye to choppy, buffering mobile video calls. 5G will enable new use cases, especially with high-fidelity video conversations. Agentic AI also creates more responsive and intelligent communication environments. In field service, for example, AI agents will routinely walk technicians through their day-to-day work, answering questions and connecting to human experts when needed.

Reggie Scales

4. Generative AI becomes a standard feature. Generative AI will move beyond novelty to become a core component of business platforms. The tech can already generate conversation summaries, draft emails, retrieve knowledge base articles, and create action items from conversations. Look for GenAI capabilities to expand quickly, especially in customer-facing use cases.

5. Voice is back. Years ago, the industry was all about moving beyond phone calls. Now, voice is at the center of emerging business models, with AI-powered voice agents handling many customer queries. Speech recognition and natural language processing are finally advanced enough to enable real-time transcription, sentiment analysis, and post-call analysis and actions. And businesses are finding that these rich conversational channels allow for more personalization and customer satisfaction.

5. Mainstream adoption of real-time translation. AI-powered real-time translation and transcription is finally here. Platforms will increasingly offer the ability to translate voice and text on the fly, allowing agents to support customers in their preferred language and enabling international teams to collaborate without language barriers.

6. Mobile-first platforms for hybrid workforces. To support permanent hybrid work, employers will prioritize mobile-optimized platforms and high-performance programmable mobile networks. These solutions will ensure that complex features — like accessing CRM data or managing video conferences — are always connected and secure on devices, including the personal phones and tablets that employees use every day.

7. 100% quality management coverage becomes a reality. Quality assurance will shift from manual reviews of a small sample of calls to automated and complete coverage. As AI integrates into contact centers, it will score every interaction for sentiment, compliance, and performance, giving managers an instant look into trends and coaching opportunities.

8. Customer engagement shifts from reactive to predictive. AI will drive a shift from reactive service to proactive engagement. By analyzing interaction history and customer behavior, systems will anticipate customer needs and trigger predictive outreach before a customer even contacts support. And when people do call in, an AI tool for contact agents can provide live guidance during calls, including suggested responses, compliance prompts, and sentiment analysis.

9. Faster acceleration of the network API and CCaaS convergence. The industry is quickly discovering that network-level insights help CCaaS systems offer better and more secure customer journeys. Network APIs open pathways to high-performance applications and use cases, such as preventing fraud with immediate authentication, reducing latency for real-time interactions, and improving live video experiences. Adopting an API-first strategy leads to faster innovation and better outcomes — two priorities in the AI era.

(Reggie Scales is president and head of BU Applications for Vonage. Join him at an AI Symposium keynote address at the Channel Partners Conference on April 15, at 9:00 am PT for a deeper dive on the power of AI and what it means for the future of the channel).