As much as 98 per cent of Indian consumers say that they are more likely to make a purchase when brand engagement is personalised in real-time, while 88 per cent abandon transactions if the experience feels impersonal, according to a Twilio report.
Despite rising AI adoption, 91 per cent of consumers still expect interactions to feel human, and over half want the option to speak to a real person when AI falls short — making human fallback non-negotiable in India’s digital customer experience landscape.
In its sixth annual State of Customer Engagement Report based on a global survey of more than 7,600 consumers and 600+ business leaders across 18 countries, including India, the customer engagement platform revealed that while AI drives measurable returns, customer perception is yet to catch up.
Towards individualisation
Although AI acceptance is growing, Indian consumers still value human involvement and control in their brand interactions. Transparency also matters. Over 7 in 10 consumers want to know when they are communicating with AI. Additionally, 87 per cent of Indian consumers want to choose how brands communicate with them, rather than having AI agents automatically assume their preferences. This reflects a strong desire to retain control and autonomy over their brand interactions.
“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.
“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,” he said.