Observed Signal · Aug 25, 2026 · Market Research · Source: Meedia · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Negative
Merkle Study: Only 28% Want AI Agents for Brands
Merkle’s international study “The Invisible Advantage: Five CX Imperatives for AI That Earns Its Place” surveyed 2,500 consumers across 23 countries and carried out qualitative interviews in eight markets. It finds companies accelerating AI, automation and personalization investments that often prioritize technical capability over consumer value. Only 28% of respondents show strong interest in AI agents for complex brand interactions, 43% say technology or AI support in shopping is important, and 51% explicitly prefer human customer service (just 18% mainly want digital interactions). About half find personalized content helpful, while four in five are open to data-driven personalization if privacy and security are assured and 90% rate security as important for CX. Merkle urges invisible, usefulness-focused AI rather than technological showmanship.
A major agency's international consumer study highlights weaker-than-expected consumer appetite for AI agents and shows gaps between personalization investments and perceived consumer value — relevant for marketers, CX teams, and agencies planning AI-driven initiatives.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Survey of 2,500 consumers across 23 countries with qualitative interviews in eight markets.
- 28% expressed strong interest in using AI agents for more complex brand interactions.
- 43% consider technology or AI support important in their shopping experience.
- 51% explicitly prefer human customer service; only 18% mainly want digital interactions.
- Four in five are open to data-driven personalization if privacy and security are guaranteed; 90% rate security as important for CX.
Connected Companies & Entities
11 Entities mapped“The Dentsu agency subsidiary Merkle investigates in an international study whether companies' AI and personalization investments align with ...”
“Described in the article as the parent group of agency subsidiary Merkle ('Dentsu agency subsidiary Merkle')....”
“MEEDIA is the publisher of the article and is described as reporting on the intersection of media and brands; the site footer shows '©2024 J...”
“__webcare_consentid / cookieconsent_mode / cookieconsent_status | DataReporter GmbH | 12 months | meedia.de — contains information about whe...”
“__cf_bm | CloudFlare | 30 minutes | linkedin.com — ensures site functionality and usability and is used for error tracking....”
“_ga / _ga_(GA4-ID) | Google | 1 year | meedia.de — contains information to distinguish users and collects visit data such as which pages are...”
“bcookie / li_gc / lidc | LinkedIn — cookies register unique IDs used for recognition and targeted advertising (domains: linkedin.com)....”
Ontology Mapping & Concepts
Related Market Signals & Shifts
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