New Delhi, India, Nov 18 – Artificial intelligence is rewriting the rules of digital communication.  According to Sinch (Sinch AB (publ), XSTO: SINCH) 2026 predictions, AI agents, voice technology, and conversational messaging will converge to drive a fivefold increase in customer interactions, with smarter systems, data flows, and security layers redefining on brands connect with consumers worldwide.

The convergence of conversational messaging and generative AI is creating an explosion in communication volume. Sinch predicts that AI agents for both businesses and consumers will create entirely new categories of interaction, redefining engagement models and forcing companies to redesign their communication frameworks for scale, context, and trust.

“India is at the forefront of the new era of intelligent communication. With the most diverse and digitally engaged population in the world, we see AI, voice, and conversational technologies coming together to reimagine the way businesses connect with customers. From multilingual voice agents to AI-driven customer journeys, India is fast turning into the proving ground for innovation at scale. At Sinch, our focus is on embedding intelligence into every interaction-helping enterprises move from efficiency to empathy, from automation to truly human digital experiences.”, said Ankur Agrawal, Chief Business Officer at Sinch India.

Sinch’s top eight tech predictions for 2026:

1. AI agents will spark an explosion in conversation volume and opportunity
   Global message traffic is expected to rise three to five times across industries. As conversational AI enables businesses to handle exponentially more interactions, new data and workflow architectures will be required to manage billions of parallel, context-aware exchanges. With AI agents now able to communicate directly with each other, Sinch expects total conversation volumes to surge up to fivefold across industries.
2. AI agents will evolve from simple cost savers to true growth engines
   AI will no longer be about deflection but expansion. Every customer interaction becomes a source of insight and potential revenue. Forward-thinking companies already see up to 30% higher order value from post-resolution upsells handled by AI.
3. Voice AI will become the preferred channel for complex conversations
   New Voice AI systems now respond in around 800 milliseconds, nearly as fast as human conversation. Real-time intent recognition and contextual memory deliver a more human experience that consumers will prefer for complex issue resolution.
4. Conversational messaging will redefine customer expectations
   SMS will remain critical for reach and verification, but rich channels like RCS and WhatsApp, will transform single interactions into two-way conversational experiences. Brands that integrate these channels into one AI-driven journey layer will lead the market.
5. Connected customer journeys will unlock loyalty and long-term value
   Connected customer journeys will unlock loyalty and long-term value.
   In 2026, customers will expect seamless transitions between devices and channels, with context carried across every touchpoint. Businesses that fail to synchronize data across voice, chat, and email will lose relevance.
6. Regionalized communication strategies will separate global leaders from followers
   In markets like Brazil and India, WhatsApp accounts for over 90% of business-to-consumer messaging traffic. RCS adoption accelerates in North America, and super apps drive Asia’s ecosystem. Global organizations must accommodate regional differences without sacrificing compliance or performance.
7. Verified and secure communications will define the future of brand trust
   As deepfake and voice spoofing accelerate, verified senders, branded visuals, and frictionless authentication will define digital trust. Unverified or irrelevant content will be filtered out before it reaches the user.
8. Tomorrow’s intelligent inboxes will reinvent email as a precision channel
   42% of consumers expect personalized promotions via email, but 33% percent say they are frustrated when these messages are irrelevant. Intelligent inboxes will penalize generic content and prioritize verified, contextually relevant messages. The penalty for irrelevance will be absolute: if you are not trusted or personalized, you will be invisible.