Based on Zendesk's experience working with thousands of CX leaders, we’ve identified five essential steps to get your operations AI-ready. This article is part 1 of our AI Readiness series, designed to help CX organizations prepare to take full advantage of AI’s benefits.

The organizations set to surge ahead in 2025 are those that took bold, early action to prepare for AI. Consumers are already noticing the gap—70 percent report a clear divide between companies leveraging AI in customer service and those lagging behind. Yet, many teams are still unsure how to assess their AI readiness or where to start.