In this episode of The Wilmac Wire, Emily Miller sits down with Wilmac Technologies CEO Steve McDonnell and guest analyst Jon Arnold, principal of J Arnold & Associates, for a deep-dive on what AI actually means for contact centers—and why so many businesses are still stuck at square one.

From foundational data strategy to the real use cases of AI in CX, they explore the difference between hype and meaningful outcomes—and how legacy systems, dark data, and siloed infrastructure are slowing progress.

Hear how Wilmac Technologies and Jon Arnold:

• Break down what AI actually is—and what it isn’t
• Explain why voice data is a goldmine for enterprise AI
• Explore how legacy vendors and proprietary formats are holding companies back
• Share practical steps for contact centers to get started with AI
• Discuss the rise of conversational AI and the future of agent automation
• Highlight how industries like finance are uniquely positioned to benefit from historical data

Episode Breakdown:

0:43 – Guest intros: Steve McDonnell & Jon Arnold
3:15 – What AI really is and why the best messaging avoids the buzzwords
6:45 – Why data quality and access are the real make-or-break for AI success
10:55 – Dark data, voice recordings, and extracting real business value
16:17 – Regulated industries and the advantage of historical data
22:42 – Where contact centers should actually start with AI
28:03 – The gap between Rochester businesses and AI readiness
31:00 – The next generation: conversational AI and automation
36:10 – Reflections on staying ahead in a fast-moving industry

Connect with the speaker:

Jon Arnold on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarnoldassociates/

Steve McDonnell on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephen-mcdonnell-8659042b/

Emily Miller on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-miller-666b66152/

🎧 Listen to more episodes: https://wilmactech.com/the-wilmac-wire-data-management-cx-ccaas-saas-technology-podcast/