November 07, 2025
This Week in CX: Where Innovation Meets Empathy
Happy Friday! ‘This week in CX’ brings you the latest roundup of industry news.
This week, we explored why AI isn’t fixing retail marketing bottlenecks, how award-winning brands use it in CX, and what multimodal tech and shadow IT mean for the future of experience.
We are also discussing updates from Ryanair, Tesla, Shein and more.
Key news
- More demand, more capacity, bigger margins: it all came together for Ryanair in the first half of its financial year. The budget airline’s profits for April through September were up 42% year-on-year, while fares rose 13% thanks to strong demand during the Easter and summer holidays. More Europeans are choosing to holiday on their own continent, Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary said, adding that a weaker UK economy could further boost demand for more affordable flights. The Irish carrier can also offer more flights as a result of earlier-than-expected deliveries of Boeing aircraft. Ryanair forecasts a 3% growth in passenger numbers this year to 207m.
- One of Tesla’s largest shareholders, Norway’s sovereign-wealth fund, has announced that it would vote to reject CEO Elon Musk’s $1tn pay package. The bank managing the $1.9tn fund objected to “the size of the award” in a statement, a stance it called “consistent with our views on executive compensation.” Tesla will reveal the results during Thursday’s annual shareholder meeting. The board has already said that if the proposal fails, Musk could leave. The Norwegian fund previously opposed Musk’s $56bn pay package in 2018.
- France is taking action to take down Shein’s website, just hours after the Chinese retailer opened its first permanent physical store in Paris. Prosecutors had previously launched an investigation into Shein, Temu, AliExpress and Wish, after France’s consumer watchdog flagged the sale of childlike sex dolls on Shein’s site. On opening day, protesters gathered outside BHV Marais – the historic department store housing Shein’s shop – while fashion designer Agnès B said previously she would close her concession there when her contract ends in January.
CXM news stories
Here’s the full news stories that CXM have reported on in the past week. Discover the latest news on AI in retail, the latest insights from EXP KSA, leveraging AI in customer service, and more.
AI Boosts Productivity, But Burnout Remains High
According to Emplifi’s newly released report, 82% of marketers say AI tools have improved their productivity, but for most, the gains remain modest. Only 35% reported a significant increase in productivity, while nearly half (47%) cited only moderate improvement. The findings, based on a survey of more than 560 B2B and B2C marketers, shed light on how teams are navigating the rapidly changing social media landscape — balancing AI adoption, content innovation, and the growing pressures of modern work.
The report reveals that marketing strategies are moving beyond testing and into full-scale implementation. Yet, this evolution comes with new challenges. More than half of marketers (52%) said they experience burnout sometimes or very often, and another 24% report occasional burnout. These figures highlight an urgent need for smarter workflows, stronger collaboration, and leadership support.
As Emplifi CMO Susan Ganeshan explains, “The findings underscore how much marketing strategies are shifting from experimentation to execution, but also the impact of today’s technical landscape and work cultures on marketing professionals. Marketers don’t need more tools—they need smarter workflows and more agile processes that drive results.”
How Marketers Are Using AI
AI continues to reshape the marketing toolkit, but its full potential remains untapped. Looking ahead, 30% of marketers plan to use AI for predictive analytics and customer insights, 28% for automated content creation, and 26% for AI-driven ad targeting. However, adoption isn’t without obstacles — 27% cite data privacy concerns, 23% struggle with technology integration, and 21% say limited AI skills are holding them back.
In addition, influencer marketing is poised for another surge, with 67% of marketers planning to increase influencer budgets in the coming year. Notably, 58% say they will invest in virtual influencers, signaling how digital personas are reshaping brand storytelling.
User-generated content (UGC) also continues to grow in importance: 82% agree that UGC plays a key role in achieving marketing goals. However, only 31% actively encourage or integrate UGC into their campaigns. The main challenges? Collecting content at scale and measuring its true impact.
Social Media Strategies: Short-Form and Sentiment
When it comes to content strategy, 73% of marketers are prioritizing short-form video — reflecting the continued dominance of platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. The top goals for social media teams include increasing engagement, improving brand sentiment, and driving leads and conversions.
Despite the rapid evolution of tools and tactics, team structures have struggled to keep pace. 57% of respondents say their social media teams have fewer than six people, even though they manage everything from content creation and analytics to community engagement and paid campaigns. Meanwhile, only 42% report that leadership actively encourages adopting new technologies.
