What happens when AI agents start talking to customers more often than humans do? In this episode, I'm joined by Robert Gerstmann, co-founder and Chief Evangelist at Sinch, to discuss what may be the biggest shift in business communications since SMS transformed how organizations connected with customers. As someone who helped build Sinch from a bootstrapped startup into a global communications platform serving enterprises worldwide, Robert offers a unique perspective on where customer engagement is heading next. Our conversation traces the evolution of business communications from the early days of SMS and feature phones to today's world of conversational AI, rich messaging, voice agents, and intelligent engagement platforms. Robert explains why communication networks are evolving from simple connectivity infrastructure into intelligent conversation platforms that support increasingly sophisticated customer interactions. We explore Sinch's prediction that AI agents could increase conversation volumes by three to five times across industries and discuss what that means for businesses that are already struggling with fragmented customer data, disconnected systems, and rising customer expectations. Robert shares why many organizations remain unprepared for the scale and complexity of AI-powered interactions and why getting the data foundation right is becoming a business priority. The conversation also examines the surprising resurgence of voice. While messaging has dominated much of the discussion of the digital customer experience in recent years, Robert explains why AI is giving voice a new purpose. As voice interactions become more natural, contextual, and responsive, organizations are beginning to see voice not as a legacy channel but as a vital part of delivering high-quality customer experiences. We also discuss the growing importance of trust, authentication, and verified communications in an era of deepfakes, spoofed identities, and synthetic content. Robert explains how technologies such as RCS and verified messaging are helping organizations build confidence while creating richer and more engaging customer experiences. Along the way, we explore why personalization at scale is becoming the new battleground for customer attention, why relevance now matters more than volume, and how businesses can avoid becoming digital noise in increasingly crowded inboxes. If you're interested in AI, customer experience, communications technology, or understanding how businesses will engage customers in the years ahead, this conversation offers valuable insights from someone helping shape the future of global communications. What role do you think AI-powered conversations will play in the future of customer engagement?

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