CapTech Trends

Consumers are creating a growing “personalization paradox” when it comes to AI in 2026. They want personalized experiences more than ever, but they’re equally anxious about how brands use their data. CapTech’s proprietary consumer research reveals that while AI-driven personalization can strongly influence purchase decisions, trust and transparency remain the biggest barriers.

CapTech Principal and CX Growth Lead, Bree Basham, and Research Lead, Lea Moon, discuss what to expect with AI in 2026, what we are seeing that drives loyalty, and how brands can thoughtfully balance value and privacy.

Listen in to learn more:

• High‑value, in‑the‑moment personalization increases willingness to share data.
• AI comfort is rising but opt-out options and human fallback remain essential.
• Trust improves when brands use plain language and transparency in data use.
• Consumer adoption varies by mindset – not age or demographic.

Read the full research here: https://www.captechconsulting.com/articles/2025-consumer-survey-solving-the-personalization-paradox

In a landscape where AI dominates boardroom conversations, CapTech’s 2025 Executive Research reveals that while the pressure to “do AI” is intense, true value comes from a business-first, not tech-first, approach. CapTech’s CTO Brian Bischoff sits down with Sr. Consultant Maddy Stevens to discuss why:

• Many executives feel pressured to implement AI without clear business goals.
• Short-term, value-driven projects outperform long-term, vague AI mandates.
• Security and compliance concerns often stall innovation but can be managed with early stakeholder involvement.
• Employee adoption is critical; and resistance can derail even the best initiatives.
• Iterative, experimental approaches and clear communication drive sustainable AI success.

Read the full research here: https://www.captechconsulting.com/articles/why-so-many-ai-initiatives-are-failing-to-deliver-roi

Unlock the true potential of your organization in the AI economy, where data quality, strategic focus, and reusable solutions are the keys to transformative success. In episode, host Vinnie Schoenfelder welcomes Cameron Snapp for a discussion on why AI is only as powerful as the data behind it, and how companies can avoid common pitfalls while accelerating innovation, discussing:

• Data quality and governance are essential for effective AI.
• Start with focused, well-defined problems—don’t try to solve everything at once.
• Reusable methods and accelerators help scale AI and integrate new data sources.
• AI changes job roles; those who adapt will thrive.

Agentic AI is reshaping industries, offering unparalleled opportunities for innovation and efficiency. In the latest episode of CapTech Trends, host Brian Bischoff welcomes Jason Dods and Kevin Vaughan, leaders in CapTech’s AI space, for a conversation on how agentic AI can drive value and transformation across organizations. Listen in as they explore the capabilities and future potential of agentic AI, discussing:

• The evolution of AI into autonomous reasoning systems
• Techniques for leveraging multi-agent orchestration in various sectors
• Real-world implementations in sports, entertainment, and logistics
• Strategies to begin integrating agentic AI into your business processes

What transformative potential does agentic AI hold for businesses? Join host Brian Bischoff, CapTech CTO, along with Liz McBride and Shane Sullivan, leaders in CapTech's AI space, as they discuss what agentic AI means for the future and how it can catalyze change across organizations. Tune in to explore:

• Agentic AI’s pivotal role in achieving business outcomes
• Building trust and mitigating bias in AI systems
• Why the human role is essential in AI
• Examples of practical AI applications in healthcare and finance

How can AI help overcome business challenges and enhance customer experiences? Join us as host Vinnie Schoenfelder, CapTech Principal, Strategic Innovation, Brian Bischoff, CapTech CTO, and Bree Basham, CapTech CX Lead, discuss CapTech’s annual tech trends and what 2025 has in store for organizations and customers. 

Tune in to hear: 

• Why agentic AI in automation matters
• How AI-powered data accelerators work 
• When hyper-personalized customer loyalty becomes crucial
• Why modernization with AI is essential

Listen in as we discuss how CapTech’s Annual Consumer AI Study findings have evolved. Brian Bischoff, a CapTech Principal leading our Practice Areas & Services, and Elliott Hartz, a Senior Consultant in our CX practice, join Vinnie for a discussion around what’s changed, what’s surprised them, and how organizations can positively adopt AI technologies for their customers. 

• Over half of consumers are willing to pay a monthly fee for enhanced AI-powered benefits.
• The shift from simply "trying out" AI to demonstrating clear ROI from AI initiatives.
• Generative AI’s widespread adoption in both personal and professional settings.

In this episode, Gaby Olivera, Customer Experience Senior Consultant, and Reid Baswell, Technical Director, join Vinnie to discuss multilingualism in conversation design, and how prioritizing this customer experience leads to enhanced brand loyalty.

Tune in to hear more about:  

• How 76% of online shoppers prefer to buy products with information in their native language.
• Why language is no longer limited to written word; brands should consider how emojis, GIFs, memes, audio, pronouns, and color translate across languages. 
• Incorporating multilingualism early into your design considerations to save time and resources. 
• How AI can accelerate the process — but a human touch is still required.
• The technical underpinnings of internationalization, including locale codes and responsive design.

In this episode, CapTech Principal, Vinnie Schoenfelder is joined by Technical Director, Shannon Flowerday (Customer Experience), Manager, Carrie Ryan (Customer Experience), and Principal, Jon Bradway (Sports & Media) to discuss how integrating data into your customer experience strategies can grow brand loyalty and increase revenue for your organization.

Tune in to hear more about:

• How a “Did You Forget?” online ordering feature resulted in an extra $10M per year for one manufacturing company.
• Consumers are willing to share their data if there is a clear benefit brought to them with said data.
• How personalized notifications achieved a 4x increase in engagement vs. standard notifications. 
• For consumers, if the basic tasks they need to do are hard, they have no interest in spending more time with that brand.
• The “first quarter problem” sports organizations are facing and how data-driven customer experience can help solve this and influence fan behavior.

In this episode, CapTech Principal, Vinnie Schoenfelder is joined by CX Manager, Carrie Ryan and Systems Integration Director Kevin Vaughan to discuss the increasing expectations consumers have around innovation and how they are more accepting of AI in their daily lives. 

Tune in to hear more about:  

• How to strike the balance between the user experience and product usability vs. being innovative for innovation's sake. 
• Compared to last year, consumers are more willing to share data because they're aware of the benefits AI provides for personalization, efficiency, and more.  
• The key to integrating AI into the daily lives of consumers is to understand their customers and their needs.  
• If your company’s innovation cycle is too slow to release, companies that are leaning heavily into AI will surpass you quickly.