Customer experience has entered what may be its most paradoxical era: AI can make interactions faster, journeys smarter, and service more scalable — yet trust is fragile, differentiation is harder, and many “intelligent” experiences still rest on shaky foundations. That’s why Forrester’s 2026 CX Forums are built around a clear imperative: Build the experience AI can’t.

Hosted in San Francisco, CX Forum West brings CX leaders together with their marketing and digital peers to turn that imperative into action. If you’re attending (or considering it), here are 10 experiences to prioritize to get the most from your two days at the Forum.

1. Anchor Yourself In The Keynotes

The mainstage keynotes establish the intellectual foundation for CX Forum West. They take on the challenges that CX leaders are navigating right now — from rising customer distrust to the difficulty of scaling human-centered experiences in an AI-driven world.

These sessions aren’t designed to be abstract inspiration. They give you shared language, sharper mental models, and a clearer point of view on what must change — insights that carry through the breakouts, workshops, and conversations that follow.

2. See How The Total Experience Is Evolving — And Why EX Matters More Than Ever

At CX Forum West, you’ll see the next evolution of Forrester’s Total Experience Score and approach — including its expansion to incorporate employee experience through the new EX Index.

This reflects a reality that many CX leaders already face: Customer outcomes depend on employee clarity, capability, and engagement. The keynote reveal shows how brand, customer, and employee experience now come together in a unified measurement model — and what that means for prioritization, investment decisions, and long-term growth.

Immediately after Wednesday morning’s keynote, stay for the Total Experience Honor, where Forrester recognizes organizations that are setting the standard for unified, high-impact experiences.

3. Pick A Track — Then Use It To Drive Execution

CX Forum West is designed to help you move from strategy to execution, and the track structure makes that easier. Sessions are organized into three clear paths:

  • Make Your Strategy Unmistakable
    Define a CX strategy that’s clear, differentiated, and tightly aligned to business outcomes.
  • Operate On A Foundation AI Can’t Build
    Strengthen the human elements AI depends on — trust, leadership, culture, customer identity, and high-quality data.
  • Deploy Technology With Intent
    Move beyond experimentation to deploy AI and CX technologies with purpose, governance, and measurable impact.

You can (and should) mix and match — but choosing a “home track” helps you create a coherent story across the event, especially if you’re attending with colleagues and dividing sessions.

Pro tip: Use the agenda filters to curate a schedule that supports your execution goals.

4. Build A CX ROI Story That Stands Up To Scrutiny

In many organizations, the biggest challenge isn’t knowing what to improve — it’s securing the investment to do it. CX Forum West includes sessions and workshops designed to help CX leaders make stronger business cases and align stakeholders.

The workshop “Build Your CX ROI Story” focuses on translating CX initiatives into outcomes that executives care about, from financial impact to risk reduction and growth. The workshop “Activate Your CX Ecosystem With Stakeholder Relationships” helps you align marketing, digital, and CX teams around shared priorities — a prerequisite for execution at scale.

Both workshops require preregistration. Find a complete list of workshops here.

5. Get Practical About AI Agents And Agentic CX

CX Forum West places special emphasis on what it really takes to deploy AI responsibly and effectively. Many leaders feel pressure to “move fast” with AI agents — often before governance, roles, and experience implications are fully understood.

Sessions such as “Ready, Set, Agentic: How Real Companies Deploy AI With Intent” and “Prepare For AI Agents As Your New Target Audience” focus on real-world lessons, helping you understand how agentic AI changes CX workflows, decision-making, and customer expectations.

6. Build Better Customer Journeys (And Move Beyond Static Maps)

If your organization still relies heavily on journey maps as artifacts, CX Forum West offers a path forward. The CX Certification: Advance From Journey Mapping To Journey Management sessions help leaders move toward ongoing orchestration and governance.

Participants learn how to identify high-impact journey improvements, quantify their value, and activate the right stakeholders to sustain change — turning journeys into living systems rather than one-time exercises.

7. Get One-On-One Advice From Forrester Analysts

For many attendees, analyst one-on-one meetings are among the most valuable experiences at Forrester events. These private, 20-minute conversations let you talk through your real constraints, pressure-test strategies, and gain perspective grounded in cross-industry research.

Come prepared with a specific challenge or decision you’re facing. The goal isn’t validation — it’s clarity. One-on-one sessions fill up quickly; registrants will be notified shortly before the event when signups open.

8. Explore What’s Next In CX Technology

The CX Marketplace at CX Forum West is a one-stop hub for exploring the latest CX technology innovations from leading providers — from AI-powered service and self-service to journey orchestration, analytics, personalization, and experience platforms.

Because you’re evaluating technology alongside Forrester research and sessions on deploying tech with intent, it’s easier to separate meaningful innovation from hype. The Marketplace is also a natural networking space, where peers, analysts, and partners exchange perspectives between sessions.

9. Build Your Network — With Purpose

CX Forum West is intentionally designed for meaningful connection, not surface-level networking. Built-in breaks, receptions, and smaller-format sessions create space for real conversations with peers and analysts facing similar challenges — often leading to insights that matter long after the event ends.

Our special programs, including the invite-only Executive Leadership Exchange and the Women’s Leadership Breakfast, create even more focused environments for meaningful conversation. These sessions have sparked mentoring relationships, partnerships, and long-standing peer connections over the years.

10. Experience San Francisco

CX Forum West takes place in one of the world’s most influential innovation hubs. Whether you’re walking between sessions, grabbing coffee with peers, or heading out after the day wraps, San Francisco’s creative energy is part of the experience — and a fitting backdrop for conversations about the future of CX. (Read our recommendations for around the venue.)

Ready to turn strategy into execution? We can’t wait to see you in San Francisco.

Register now if you haven’t already — and start planning how you’ll build the experience AI can’t.