What does it take to power 5 billion customer resolutions a year—with speed, empathy, and zero shortcuts?

At Zendesk, AI plays a central role. It learns from massive data, follows clear rules, and helps teams make service feel more human.

On this episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, I speak with Shashi Upadhyay, President of Products, Engineering, and AI at Zendesk, about how they’re building AI that scales globally and enhances every human interaction it touches.

🎧 Listen in for:

◦ Why AI needs guardrails, not guesswork

◦ The “smart intern” approach to responsible AI

◦ How Zendesk blends automation with emotional intelligence

This is how great service gets smarter, faster and more human. Don’t miss this short, smart conversation on AI that works.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

The future of healthcare isn’t just digital—it’s deeply human. And AI is helping make that possible.

This week on The Modern Customer Podcast, Heather Brace, Chief People Officer at Intermountain Health, shares how her team is transforming both patient and employee experience.

By combining the power of AI with real-time employee feedback, they’re building a more connected, responsive, and human-centered healthcare system.

In this conversation, Heather shares:

✔️ How AI is helping doctors stay present and build trust with patients

✔️ Why transparent feedback is reshaping leadership culture

✔️ What it takes to create an experience-first organization at scale

This episode is packed with insight for leaders who believe technology should enhance empathy, not replace it.

🎧 Tune in to learn how feedback and AI are reshaping healthcare from the inside out.

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.

Most AI chatbots are built to answer FAQs—but that only solves a fraction of the problem.

According to Deon Nicholas, founder of Forethought, just 23% of support inquiries are informational. The other 77% require action—like account lookups, password resets, and policy decisions.

That’s where most GenAI tools fall short—and where agentic AI steps in.

On the latest episode of The Modern Customer Podcast, recorded live at the Qualtrics X4 Summit, Deon and I go rapid-fire on the future of AI in CX and EX.

We cover:
✅ Why most chatbots can't handle the majority of real-world support needs
✅ What agentic AI is—and why it's reshaping customer experience
✅ How to personalize at scale without compromising trust
✅ What proactive AI looks like—and why it's the next evolution

If you're serious about using AI to drive real CX results, this episode is packed with insight you can’t afford to miss.

🎧 Ready to rethink your AI strategy? Listen to the full episode now!

Blake Morgan is a customer experience futurist, keynote speaker, and author of three books on customer experience. Her new book is called The 8 Laws of Customer-Focused Leadership: The New Rules for Building A Business Around Today’s Customer.

Follow Blake Morgan on LinkedIn

For regular updates on customer experience, sign up for her weekly newsletter here.