When AI Starts Selling Inside The Conversation
Plus: “Resolved” is not the same thing as “loyal”
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📅 February 12, 2026 | ⏱️ 4-min read
Good Morning!
Let’s be real. A lot of customers aren’t “shopping.” They’re just trying to figure something out.
They ask a question in ChatGPT like they’d ask a friend: What should I buy? What’s the best option? What do people recommend? And now, brands want to show ads right there in the same place.
Also today: even when support fixes the problem, customers don’t always walk away thinking, “Yep, I love this company.”
The Executive Hook:
AI is sliding into two super sensitive spots: the conversation and customer support. The tension is simple: are we helping people, or nudging them? Are we solving issues, or building trust? Because customers will forgive a slow answer. They won’t forgive feeling tricked.
🧠 THE DEEP DIVE: Target Tests Ads In ChatGPT
The Big Picture: Target is testing ads in ChatGPT that match what people are asking about, while saying the AI’s answers will stay separate from the ads.
What’s happening:
Target says it’s working with OpenAI to test ads in ChatGPT, including ads from Target and from Roundel’s ad partners.
The ads show up based on keywords in what the user types.
Target says ads will be clearly labeled, show up separately, and won’t change what the assistant says.
Why it matters: This is a trust test. The chat feels like a “help” space. If an ad feels sneaky, customers won’t just ignore the ad. They’ll stop trusting the whole channel.
The takeaway: If you put ads in a conversation, you need a clear deal with the customer: label it loudly, keep it separate, and make it actually useful. And don’t let the tone get weird. One cringey sponsored message can end up on social media in about 12 seconds.
Source: Target Corporate
📊 CX BY THE NUMBERS: “Resolved” Tickets Aren’t Making Customers Pick You
Data Source: 2026 Customer Expectations Report, Gladly & Wakefield Research
88% of customers said their issue got resolved through AI support or AI→human support.
But only 22% said that experience made them prefer that company over competitors.
Translation: fixing the problem is the minimum. It doesn’t win loyalty by itself.
The Insight: If your goal is “case closed,” you might be missing the real goal: “Would this customer choose us again?” Start tracking resolution plus repeat purchase, NPS change, and how often customers have to reach out again.
🧰 THE AI TOOLBOX: BILL Invoice Coding Agent
The Tool: BILL has an AI agent that helps code invoices (even the messy ones with lots of line items).
What it does: It pulls info from an invoice and fills in the accounting codes faster, so people don’t have to do all that work by hand.
CX Use Case:
For vendors: Fewer delays and fewer “Did you get my invoice?” emails.
For employees: Less copy-paste work, more time to handle real exceptions.
Trust: Money workflows are unforgiving. If the AI codes something wrong, it can delay payments and start fights with vendors. Put guardrails in place: spot checks, confidence thresholds, and a clear record of what the AI changed. If an AP lead can’t understand what happened fast, it’s not ready.
⚡ SPEED ROUND: Quick Hits
NetSuite Announces AI Innovations to Help Businesses Increase Efficiency — More AI inside core systems means mistakes can spread faster if controls are weak.
80% of Fortune 500 Use Active AI Agents, Microsoft Says — If you don’t track your agents, you can’t trust what they’re doing.
Volvo Group North America Customer Data Exposed In Conduent Hack — Data problems are trust problems. Customers want straight answers fast.
📡 THE SIGNAL: People Just Want To Feel Safe
Here’s what ties today together: customers are watching for honesty. If ads show up in chat, they want them clearly marked. If AI handles support, they want it to feel fair and easy. And if you “resolved” their problem, they still want to feel respected, not rushed.
So don’t just celebrate closing tickets or adding new AI features. Ask one bigger question: did we make the customer feel like we were on their side?
What’s one place in your experience where you’re moving faster, but explaining less?
See you tomorrow,
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📬 Feedback & Ideas
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