AI, CX, and the Shift from Automation to Action with Jarrod Johnson of TaskUs

Agentic AI is emerging as the next evolution of artificial intelligence in customer experience (CX), moving beyond chatbots to systems that can take real action on behalf of customers. In this episode of AI with Maribel Lopez, Maribel Lopez speaks with Jarrod Johnson, Chief Customer Officer at TaskUs, about how enterprises are actually deploying AI in customer experience today. The conversation covers real-world CX use cases, where AI delivers measurable ROI, why data and process design remain the biggest bottlenecks, and how organizations should manage risk, governance, and human handoffs as agentic AI scales. This episode is designed for enterprise leaders evaluating AI strategies for customer experience transformation.Bio: Jarrod Johnson, Chief Customer Officer, TaskUsJarrod Johnson is the Chief Customer Officer of TaskUs. He is responsible for TaskUs' go-to-market strategy and execution across all client-facing and market-facing functions. Jarrod leads the "Client Organization" at TaskUs, including client success, sales, product and service management, and TaskUs’ consulting function, which includes the Agentic AI Consulting Practice. Jarrod is responsible for all aspects of revenue management and growth for TaskUs. He brings over 20 years of experience in enterprise technology-enabled services and business management.Show notes00:00 – AI in Customer Experience (CX): What This Episode Covers01:31 – What a Chief Customer Officer Does in AI-Driven Customer Experience03:46 – Top Customer Experience (CX) Bottlenecks Blocking AI Adoption05:56 – Chatbots vs. Agentic AI: What’s the Difference in Customer Experience?09:31 – How to Start with Agentic AI in Customer Experience (Real ROI Use Cases)12:46 – When AI Should Hand Off to Humans in Customer Experience15:41 – AI in Customer Experience: Cost Reduction vs. Revenue Growth18:21 – Voice AI in Customer Service: Why It Finally Works22:01 – AI Guardrails, Safety, and Brand Risk in Customer Experience26:31 – Measuring AI-Driven Customer Experience (CX Metrics That Matter)29:46 – AI for Customer Experience: Market Fragmentation and Vendor Landscape33:46 – Agentic AI Pitfalls to Avoid in Customer Experience Transformation STAY CONNECTEDSubscribe to the AI with Maribel Lopez audio podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1947446Subscribe to my LinkedIn newsletter — AI Decoded with Maribel Lopez: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/ai-decoded-with-maribel-lopez-7312533413582827520/Lopez Research blog: https://www.lopezresearch.com/research/Follow me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maribellopez/Follow me on X: https://x.com/MaribelLopez