When AI knows your name but forgets your needs, Indians look for a human

New Delhi: A growing number of Indian consumers appreciate the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in enhancing customer experiences, but remain firm in their expectations for human-like interaction and transparency, according to Twilio’s sixth annual State of Customer Engagement Report.

The report, which surveyed over 7,600 consumers and 600 business leaders across 18 countries, including India, points to a disconnect between how brands perceive their personalisation efforts and how customers experience them. While AI adoption in India continues to rise, consistency and human fallback remain critical elements for customer satisfaction.

Personalisation efforts pay off, but consistency is lacking

Indian brands are increasingly using AI to personalise engagement through data analysis and omnichannel communication. The shift appears to be yielding results, with 79% of Indian consumers saying they spend more with brands that personalise engagement. Additionally, 98% are more likely to purchase when the interaction feels personalised in real time.

A large majority 90% regard personalisation as important, expecting it to help with recommendations (71%), streamline the shopping process (66%), and assure brand credibility (65%).

However, a gap remains between intent and execution. Although 80% of Indian respondents believe brands are doing a good or excellent job in personalisation, just 30% feel such engagement happens consistently. This suggests a need for brands to move from sporadic personalisation to continuous, individualised interactions.

This shortfall may carry financial implications: 88% of Indian consumers are likely to abandon purchases if the interaction feels impersonal, while 70% report being 'much more likely' to complete a purchase when personalisation is present.

AI is welcome, but not without human back-up

The findings also underline that while AI tools are accepted, they are not viewed as a complete substitute for human interaction. A vast majority 91% say AI-powered engagements should feel human-like, while 55% want the option to connect with a human if the technology fails to resolve their issue.

Transparency remains key. Some 72% of Indian consumers want to know when they are interacting with AI, and 87% prefer to decide how brands should communicate with them, rather than having AI make assumptions on their behalf.

“Indian consumers are increasingly aware that while AI-powered personalisation influences buying behaviour, it is not a substitute for relevance, trust and human connection,” said Nicholas Kontopoulos, VP of Marketing, Asia Pacific & Japan at Twilio.

He added, “Indian brands are already leading the way, demonstrating a deep understanding of the importance of AI and excelling at delivering personalised experiences. As they continue to scale their use of AI, the next step is to move beyond basic personalisation to true individualisation, where every interaction feels timely, contextual, and humanised. This means putting transparency at the centre, respecting customer preferences, and using data to serve, not just sell. The brands that will lead in India’s next wave of growth are those that get this balance right by blending intelligent automation with authentic engagement to earn loyalty and drive long-term impact.”