8x8 sees AI customer interactions surge across voice, chat

8x8 has reported a sharp rise in the use of AI-driven customer service tools on its 8x8 Platform for CX during the third quarter of its 2026 financial year, pointing to stronger demand for automated voice and messaging interactions in contact centres and customer engagement programmes.

The business communications vendor said voice AI interactions increased 212% year-on-year in the quarter, while messaging interactions through its communications APIs rose 269% over the same period. It also reported that voice accounted for more than 86% of all AI interactions in the quarter.

The update comes as many organisations expand AI deployments from limited trials into broader operational use across customer service channels. Contact centres have been an early target for automation, with businesses seeking faster response times and more consistent handling of routine enquiries.

"We're seeing AI evolve from pilot to platform," said Hunter Middleton, Chief Product Officer, 8x8. "Customers are deploying AI-powered solutions across their organisations. They want AI that improves outcomes, not just automation for its own sake. With 8x8, they get real-time intelligence and omnichannel reach in one seamless system, so they can meet rising expectations without adding complexity."

Rising AI usage

8x8 said customer contracts for its Intelligent Customer Assistant products rose 70% year-on-year and 20% quarter-on-quarter. The company groups digital self-service, voice self-service and AI auto attendants under that product family.

It reported nearly 110% year-on-year growth in total Intelligent Customer Assistant interactions across digital, voice and auto attendant use. Voice AI interactions represented the largest share of activity, according to the company's figures.

The company positioned the growth as evidence that customers are adopting automation across multiple parts of the customer journey rather than limiting deployments to a single channel. It framed the shift as part of a wider trend in customer experience operations, where businesses aim to reduce hand-offs and repeated identity checks across channels.

API demand

Alongside its contact centre and unified communications services, 8x8 sells communications APIs that organisations use for messaging and voice engagement with customers. The company said API messaging interactions rose more than 269% year-on-year and 56% quarter-on-quarter. It listed WhatsApp, RCS, Viber, Zalo and LINE among the messaging channels included in the measure.

8x8 also reported that API voice interactions increased by nearly three times year-on-year and 39% quarter-on-quarter. The company did not provide absolute volumes, revenue contribution, or a breakdown by customer segment.

The reported increases underline the extent to which customer engagement strategies now span multiple third-party channels. They also reflect the growing reliance on API-based integration between contact centres, digital front ends and back-office systems.

Customer wins

8x8 highlighted a set of customer additions and expansions during the quarter across healthcare, utilities, professional services and education. The company said a large UK healthcare provider selected 8x8 Contact Centre and 8x8 Professional Services. It also cited a regional water utility in the US that chose the 8x8 Platform for CX, including 8x8 Proactive Outreach, as part of a move to consolidate suppliers.

Other examples included a US tax advisory firm that chose 8x8 Work, 8x8 Voice for Microsoft Teams and 8x8 Engage, and a US veterinary care provider that selected the 8x8 Platform for CX.

On third-party customer feedback, 8x8 said it held an overall rating of 4.8 out of 5 across Unified Communications as a Service and Contact Centre as a Service categories on Gartner Peer Insights, based on 65 reviews as of 1 January 2026.

Product updates

During the quarter, 8x8 introduced and updated a range of products across contact centre, unified communications and vertical offerings. One launch was 8x8 Retail Nationwide, which the company described as a frontline retail product. It said the service integrates with mobile device management systems and supports shared handheld devices, plus central remote configuration for multiple sites.

In its contact centre agent interface, 8x8 announced Customer 360, which it said adds a consolidated view of customer data and interaction history inside the Agent Workspace. The company said the feature includes AI-driven indicators such as sentiment and topic detection.

On the unified communications side, 8x8 described new controls for large meetings in 8x8 Work, including presenter tools for managing speakers and promoting attendees during virtual events. It also referenced a WCAG-compliant site map for navigation and features for ring group management and user status reporting.

For customers with existing voice estates, 8x8 said it added native SIP support for Mitel desk phones. It positioned the move as a way for organisations to retain existing hardware during cloud migration.

8x8 also said it adopted ISO/IEC 27018, a standard focused on protection of personal data in public cloud services. The company said the certification covers the 8x8 Platform for CX.

The company said its 8x8 Platform for CX combines contact centre, unified communications and communications APIs. It expects demand for AI-driven customer experience tools to remain strong as organisations expand automation beyond pilots and increase the use of messaging and voice channels in customer engagement.