Business must close the AI trust gap, says Zendesk chief legal officer

2026-03-17 · Source: Tech Monitor · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, AI Governance & Ethics · Depth: Novice, quick

Summary

The era of optional AI transparency is over, with 87% of CX leaders agreeing it will be non-negotiable for customer-facing AI within two years, alongside an increased emphasis on explainability—the technical ability to understand an AI's decision-making steps. This shift is crucial for building trust, enabling customers to understand interactions, and empowering employees to comprehend AI logic, especially when resolving complex issues. The ultimate goal is to ensure human control through a "human-in-the-loop" model, where clear reasoning facilitates effective oversight and maintains brand values. Beyond transparency and explainability, accountability is the next frontier, requiring integrated governance structures, continuous monitoring, and clear remediation paths for AI system mistakes. Ultimately, prioritizing these elements closes the AI trust gap, fostering a sustainable environment for innovation built on reliability and respect, where trusted companies will lead.

Key takeaway

AI transparency and explainability are now non-negotiable for customer-facing systems, with 87% of CX leaders expecting mandatory transparency and 72% deeming auditable AI reasoning mission-critical within two years. This shift demands the technical ability to understand AI's "chain of thought" to build trust and empower human oversight. Implementing robust accountability frameworks alongside these principles is crucial for closing the AI trust gap, ensuring responsible governance, and maintaining human control over brand values.

Topics

• AI Transparency
• AI Explainability
• AI Accountability
• AI Governance
• Customer Experience

Best for: Product Manager, CTO, VP of Engineering/Data, Director of AI/ML, AI Product Manager, AI Ethicist

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Tech Monitor.