For our 10th anniversary, we’ve unpacked our crystal ball and come up with 10 predictions for the future of Contact Centres. Our 2nd prediction considers the rise of synthetic voices and the parallel shift back to voice as a key channel.

People have been predicting the death of voice for the past decade. As channels have evolved, we’ve introduced the likes of webchat, WhatsApp, chat bots and more. But voice is still here, and it has evolved too.

We’re already seeing the implementation of synthetic, AI-generated voices that sound natural, handle context, and express empathy without fatigue. And by 2030, we predict that at least half of customer conversations in Europe will be partially or fully synthetic.

The new reality isn’t “press 1 for automation.” It’s seamless, human-like engagement that listens, recalls, and learns. Synthetic voice will become an essential partner in delivering fast, accessible, and emotionally intelligent service. These conversations won’t replace humanity; they’ll extend it.

The shift explained

Voice has always been the richest, most revealing signal in customer contact. Yet for years, “deflect to digital” strategies tried to move customers away from it; yes, to deliver choice and faster service, but also to reduce cost-to-serve.

Now, as generative AI meets advanced speech synthesis, we’re witnessing a rebirth of voice. For us as humans, it’s sometimes faster to speak than type. Or to use voice as we multi-task. Or to start a verbal conversation with a bot so that we’re ready to talk to a human if it gets more complicated.

Synthetic voice systems already outperform legacy IVRs, cutting average hold times by over 20 percent and improving satisfaction scores by double digits. They can remember tone, recognise returning customers, and speak 40 languages before breakfast.

The real magic lies in continuity: each conversation builds upon the last. Customers get instant, familiar responses. Agents – both AI and human – inherit perfectly transcribed context. The line between digital and human support begins to blur beyond recognition.

For example, research suggests that humans reveal more to AI agents than their human counterparts, which in itself provides opportunities for service. And while empathy is still a current challenge for AI agents, this will improve.

It’s easy to see how a voice conversation can be with synthetic answering and triage, stay with the AI agent if it’s easy or seamlessly transfer to a human if it isn’t.

Ultimately, humans will still need humans, at least for a while yet (see prediction 9 for more), but synthetic voice is here now and will be common in a few short years.

What it means for CX leaders

• Voice is strategic again. Stop treating it as a cost. Design for brand tone, memory, and emotion.
• Authenticity matters. The problem isn’t when a voice is synthetic, it’s when it pretends not to be. Transparency is key.
• Synthetic doesn’t mean soulless. But without guardrails you risk the “uncanny valley” – that uneasy feeling when something almost human is a little “off”, making it eerie instead of engaging.
• Measure the right things. Forget call length; focus on continuity, consistency, and clarity.
• Re-train teams. Human agents become conductors of multi-voice orchestras – stepping in where empathy, creativity, or judgement are needed most.

Our perspective

At Customer Contact Panel, we help organisations design the conversation layer, where technology and tone intersect. It’s not just about adopting synthetic voice; it’s about orchestrating an ecosystem where human and digital voices co-exist gracefully. We work with brands to:

• Define what good sounds like in an AI-augmented world.
• Map trust and compliance frameworks for explainable voice interactions.
• Ensure that every automation still feels unmistakably “on brand.”

Voice isn’t dead. It’s smarter, faster, and finally scalable. The challenge for CX leaders isn’t whether to use synthetic speech, it’s how to make it sound like you.

Closing thoughts

The robots have arrived. They’re learning to converse, increasingly with feeling – and customers are already listening.

Sources & further reading

NICE State of CX 2024 | Talkdesk CX Trends 2025 | Gartner Voice Automation Forecast | Forrester Generative CX 2025 | CX Network Speech AI Benchmark 2025

How do you think voice will evolve over the next decade?

Let us know in 50 words or less and we’ll publish the most interesting and thought-provoking perspectives below.