This is the first weekly newsletter of the Contact Center AI Association. Our goal is to distill the week’s news that’s most important to CX leaders.

This edition focuses on:

1. SoundHound’s announcement on in-vehicle voice commerce;

2. OpenAI’s Operator;

3. Job Opportunities for CX Leaders; and

4. Q1 In-person meeting in San Jose, CA.

1. SoundHound’s First In-Vehicle Voice Commerce Platform

SoundHound is in a unique position. It provides voice AI in both consumer devices and customer service. For example, SoundHound provides the voice technology for automotive companies such as Hyundai, Honda, and Kia. While at the same time, it also integrates with point of sale solutions like Toast and Square to allow restaurants to deploy their voice technology for inbound calls.

At CES 2025, SoundHound announced its next move. It’s an in-vehicle voice commerce platform that allows users to place orders from restaurants directly from the AI assistant embedded in their car.

This is a an important step in the CX industry that should not be overlooked. As AI agents become more capable, we can expect consumers to increasingly interact with brands through their own AI assistants. What we see with SoundHound is an early manifestation of this. It’s a whole new user interface between consumers and brands where the consumer only talks with their own AI assistant.

After the announcement, SoundHound's stock surged 21%.

The company plans to add voice-based transactions for banking, ticketing, and appointments.

You can watch a demo of the in-vehicle voice commerce platform here:

2. OpenAI’s First AI Agent: Operator

OpenAI launched its first AI agent, Operator. It handles web tasks for you.

Operator uses its own browser to work on webpages by typing, clicking, and scrolling like a person. It is currently being tested with U.S. Pro users first to ensure a safe roll out.

Similar to the SoundHound story, above, this is an early glimpse into the future of customer experience. OpenAI is making it easy for consumers to delegate real-world tasks to AI assistants. AI agents are effectively becoming a new customer support channel. And CX leaders are now tasked with securely and efficiently serving customers that choose this channel.

💼 New Job Opportunities for CX Leaders

1. VP of Customer Success, Artisan

Artisan is a fast growing AI company looking to scale the CS team from a few people to hundreds.

This role is on-site in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco.

Check out the full job posting and apply here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4130656959

2. Manager, Customer Support, Proterra

Proterra is looking for a Customer Support Manager. They will lead its Field Service, Aftermarket Parts, and Product/Customer Support teams.

This hybrid, full-time role is based in Greer, SC.

Check out the full job posting and Apply Here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4001693928

2. VP, Consumer and Patient Experience Journeys, Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente is hiring a VP, Consumer and Patient Experience Journeys to lead national strategies to improve consumer and patient experiences.

This hybrid, full-time role is based in Oakland, CA

Check out the full job posting and apply here: https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/view/4099931258

💌CCAIA’s Q1 In-Person Meeting on March 21

Join us for the CCAIA Q1 In-Person Meeting in San Jose, CA, on March 21.

The Boardroom-style meeting will focus on "Learning from Launches." CX leaders will exchange insights from implementing AI in their operations.

There will also be a Q1 legal update narrowly focused on new regulations and recent litigation involving the use of AI in customer support.

It's an education-packed 2 hour meeting, followed by an early dinner.

There is no recording or broadcast of the meeting. This encourages open and honest conversations. We will distribute the distilled insights through this newsletter.

There's no cost to attend. Also, CX leaders can have their flights & hotels paid for by sponsors.

But there's only 15 spots.

You can apply to attend here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfzkD23SNTLdMuX4rRIoCNTLV6_gqOgcjusq4ZqAqTF45JNJA/viewform

Conclusion

Thank you for reading. We welcome your feedback. Feel free to respond with thoughts and questions.

Also, please respond with industry updates and job postings you would like us to cover.

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