Zendesk Relate 2025 Recap: From Vegas to the Future of CX

Back in Vegas again—and once more, Zendesk didn’t disappoint. Relate 2025 brought together the best and brightest in customer experience (CX) for a few unforgettable days of innovation, networking, and honest conversations. Whether you came for the keynotes, the tech deep dives, or the Trevor Noah mic drops, this year’s event was packed with takeaways that will ripple through the industry for months.

The Big Reveal: Zendesk Resolution Platform Arrives

Let’s start with the headline: Zendesk CEO Tom Eggemeier took the stage with a bold message—resolution is the only metric that matters. Enter the Zendesk Resolution Platform, the company’s new agentic AI-powered foundation built to handle service requests with less effort and better outcomes.

The platform is a five-part powerhouse that brings together AI agents, a global knowledge graph, no-code builders, AI governance, and real-time insights. This wasn’t just a rebrand—it was a full-on rethinking of how AI and humans can work together to deliver faster, smarter support.

Tom called it out clearly: “The Zendesk Resolution Platform is not just making service faster—it is making Agentic AI actually work for service.”

And you know what? It shows.

Clarity at Last: Copilot vs AI Agents

One of the biggest frustrations from customers over the last year has been deciphering Zendesk’s evolving AI roadmap. Relate 2025 finally gave us some clarity—and some new names to work with.

Advanced AI is now Zendesk Copilot, a suite of agent-assist tools that helps your team write better replies, find information faster, and work smarter—not harder. From summarizing long tickets to suggesting tone shifts and even auto-filling responses based on your macros and help center, Copilot is turning the agent workspace into a truly intelligent one.

On the other side of the fence are the AI Agents—both Essential and Advanced tiers—designed to autonomously respond to customer inquiries. While Advanced AI Agents come packed with features like multi-step reasoning and fallback options, the Essential tier is still growing up. Zendesk seemed open to feedback here, which is refreshing.There’s still some fuzziness around pricing models, especially with the new Outcome-Based Pricing approach. The idea is simple: you only pay when a customer’s problem is resolved. Sounds great—until you try to figure out how much that human-in-the-loop fallback actually costs. That’s where the transparency conversation still needs work. But the direction is promising, and it’s clear Zendesk is listening.

The Other Big Bet: Employee Experience

Zendesk also spotlighted a growing trend that many of us in the industry have already seen coming—Employee Service.

It’s no secret that plenty of Zendesk customers already use the platform to handle internal IT, HR, and facilities requests. But now, Zendesk is going all in with a dedicated Employee Service Suite, built with internal workflows in mind. Think approval management, integrations with HRIS systems, employee-facing portals, and AI-powered service catalogs.

The message here? Your employees deserve great service too. And if Zendesk can solve for customers and employees using the same flexible backbone, that’s a major win.

Heavy Hitters on Stage: Trevor Noah and Jacinda Ardern

Beyond the tech, this year’s Relate brought in some seriously inspiring voices.

Trevor Noah took the stage with his signature blend of wit and wisdom. One of his standout lines captured the vibe of the whole event: “Any company that uses AI to drop its workforce is a company that’s run out of ideas.” His point? AI should elevate people, not replace them.

The Right Honourable Dame Jacinda Ardern, former Prime Minister of New Zealand, followed with a masterclass in empathetic leadership. Her talk emphasized three core principles: authenticity, proximity, and action. “People don’t just want to be heard—they want to see the follow-through,” she said. A message that felt especially relevant in a year where trust is everything. You can find some of my favorite quotes from these sessions over on my X feed, and the full keynotes are available on-demand—for a limited time—if you want to catch up.

More Than Just the Headliners

While the Resolution Platform and Copilot announcements took center stage, there was a flurry of other product updates that deserve attention:

• Zendesk Explore is getting a much-needed overhaul, with faster load times, better visualizations, and tighter integration with AI insights.
• App Builder and Action Builder are about to make no-code customization feel a lot more admin-friendly, giving teams the power to create smart workflows without having to call in a dev.
• Knowledge Management is becoming more centralized and actionable, with auto-suggested articles for agents and better tools for content governance.

These updates might not make the headlines, but they’re the kind of practical improvements that make everyday work smoother.

One Last Bite of Vegas

Beyond the announcements and the product demos, Relate reminded us why live events still matter. Whether it was reconnecting with longtime customers, meeting new faces, or swapping ideas with fellow partners, the hallway conversations and shared meals were just as impactful as the sessions themselves.

From day one’s opening reception to the late-night chats over gelato and neon, Zendesk knows how to mix business with a little bit of pleasure. It’s one of the reasons we keep coming back. But next year? We’re packing our bags for Denver. Zendesk is taking Relate on the road for 2026, and we’re all in. Early bird pricing is available now through April 15, so if you’re even thinking about attending—lock it in. Mile-high ideas await.

Need Help Bringing It All Home?

Let’s be honest—there was a lot of news packed into three days. New products, new pricing, new acronyms (again). Whether you’re trying to understand how AI Agents fit into your org, or you’re wondering if it’s finally time to roll out an employee service desk, we can help.

At 729 Solutions, we live and breathe Zendesk. And we’re here to help you digest the announcements, update your current setup, and build a roadmap that makes sense for your team and your customers. Schedule your free consultation today

Final Thoughts

Zendesk Relate 2025 felt like more than just an event—it felt like a line in the sand. The Resolution Platform is a bold vision. Copilot is more than just a name change. And Zendesk is showing signs that it’s willing to evolve with its customers—not just dictate to them.

From Vegas to Denver, we’re excited to be on this journey. And if you’re a customer experience leader trying to make sense of it all, just know this: you’re not alone.

We’ll see you on the road.