September 05, 2025
This Week in CX: Award-Winning CX and AI Trends to Watch
Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news.
This week, we explored the latest in customer experience and AI innovation, from Istanbul Airport earning Level 5 ACI CX accreditation, to OpenAI introducing new safety guardrails for ChatGPT, and the growing role of AI as a business research and financial advisory tool.
We’re also discussing new updates from Aldi, Google, Vogue, and more.
Key news
- Aldi plans to open 200 new US stores this year, bringing it closer to its goal of becoming the country’s second-largest grocer after Walmart. The German discounter sells 90% private-label products and keeps its stores relatively small by US standards, along with real estate and associated costs. Aldi split into two companies in 1961 after a dispute between its founding brothers. Aldi Süd runs all stores in southern Germany, Ireland, the UK, the US, Australia and China, while Aldi Nord operates in northern Germany, Belgium, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain. The two have reportedly held secret merger talks.
- Condé Nast has named Chloe Malle head of editorial content at American Vogue, succeeding Anna Wintour in day-to-day leadership. Wintour remains global editorial director and chief content officer at Condé Nast. Malle joined Vogue in 2011 as social editor and became editor of Vogue.com in 2023. Malle was a longtime favourite of Wintour and reportedly her first choice for the role. Her parents are actor Candice Bergen and filmmaker Louis Malle.
- Google must share search data with rivals and is barred from exclusive deals to be the default search engine on devices and browsers, a US judge ruled in a landmark antitrust case — but it does not have to sell off its Chrome browser or Android operating system. The search giant also can still pay for placement, with restrictions. US government regulators had been advocating for a breakup of the company after the judge ruled last year that Google had an illegal monopoly in online search.
CXM news stories
Here’s the full news stories that CXM have reported on in the past week. Learn all about the latest news, such as OpenAI’s new safety guardrails, AI as a financial advisor, the need for CX in Las Vegas, and more.
AI as a Teammate, Not a Replacement
A new report from MIT Technology Review Insights, sponsored by NiCE, examines how companies are leveraging artificial intelligence to enhance customer experiences while maintaining a human touch. The Connected Customer, based on interviews with executives and experts from NiCE and Metrigy Research in early 2025, highlights how AI is reshaping service delivery, driving efficiency, and boosting satisfaction.
“The future of customer experience isn’t humans versus machines, it’s humans powered by machines,” said Barry Cooper, president of NiCE’s CX division. “When automation and AI complement the workforce, interactions become smarter, faster, and more personal. This is about empowering people to anticipate needs, resolve issues instantly, and deliver experiences that feel effortless.”
AI is redefining customer service. Once focused on call centres and digital commerce, CX is now in an AI-driven era. With large language models and vast data sets, AI can manage complex queries, personalise communications at scale, and support both frontline staff and senior decision-makers.
The report reveals that legacy systems pose a significant obstacle. Outdated infrastructure and siloed data limit AI’s ability to operate across workflows. To unlock AI’s full potential, organisations need unified platforms and orchestration frameworks that enable seamless, goal-based automation.
In addition, the human factor remains critical. The most successful adopters see AI as a collaborative tool rather than a replacement. High-performing organisations balance automation with empathy, allowing their workforce to provide the trust and emotional intelligence that machines can’t replicate.
The findings reinforce the idea that AI delivers its greatest value not when it replaces people, but when it amplifies them.
