LINK recognized in conversational AI report 2026
Juniper Research recently recognized LINK Mobility as a Leading Challenger in its Conversational AI market report for 2026. To discuss what this recognition means for the industry and how businesses are approaching conversational AI today, we sat down with Magnus Åhgren, Product Manager for MyLINK Connect and Director of SaaS at LINK Mobility. He shared his perspective on messaging channels, AI flexibility, customer communication trends, and what businesses should consider when building conversational experiences across channels.
Q: A lot of businesses still associate conversational AI with basic chatbots. Has that changed?
Magnus: Definitely. Traditional chatbots were often isolated tools with predefined responses. Today, businesses want conversational AI connected to channels like WhatsApp, SMS, RCS, and web chat while also integrating with CRM systems, ecommerce platforms, and support tools. The focus is now on managing complete customer conversations across channels.
Q: Why are businesses investing more heavily in conversational AI now?
Magnus: Customer expectations have changed. People expect faster responses and want to communicate through the channels they already use every day. At the same time, businesses are handling larger communication volumes. Conversational AI helps automate repetitive interactions while still allowing human support teams to step in when needed.
Q: Where does MyLINK Connect fit into this?
Magnus: MyLINK Connect helps businesses manage customer conversations across messaging channels from one platform. Businesses can connect conversational AI, automation workflows, CRM data, and customer support processes across channels like SMS, WhatsApp, RCS, and web chat. The goal is to create more connected communication experiences rather than isolated interactions.
Q: You recently mentioned, “bring your own AI model.” Why is that becoming important?
Magnus: Businesses want more flexibility and control over how AI is used in customer communication. Some companies already have AI models they trust internally or specific requirements around compliance, security, or governance. That is why we designed MyLINK Connect to support bring your own AI models alongside conversational workflows and messaging infrastructure.
Q: What are the practical benefits of that approach for customers?
It allows businesses to adapt conversational AI to their own operational requirements. For example, they may want one AI model for customer support automation, another for internal knowledge retrieval, and human escalation for sensitive conversations. The messaging environment stays centralized while the AI layer remains flexible.
Q: Is the market moving toward more flexible conversational AI setups?
Magnus: Yes, very clearly. Businesses are becoming more strategic about conversational AI. Earlier discussions focused mostly on automation itself. Now companies are evaluating governance, integration quality, scalability, and how conversational AI fits into long-term customer communication strategies.
Q: Messaging channels seem central to conversational AI now. Why is that?
Magnus: Because messaging is already where customer communication happens. Customers naturally use channels like WhatsApp and SMS throughout the day. Businesses want to meet customers within those channels instead of forcing them into separate communication environments. That is why conversational AI and messaging infrastructure are becoming more closely connected.
Q: What should businesses look for when evaluating conversational AI platforms?
Magnus: Businesses should look beyond chatbot functionality alone. Important areas include channel support, integration capabilities, escalation handling, compliance requirements, scalability, and reporting visibility. Conversational AI is increasingly becoming part of broader customer communication infrastructure rather than a standalone automation tool.
Q: LINK Mobility was recognized as a Leading Challenger in Juniper Research’s conversational AI report. What does this recognition represent for you and the team?
Magnus: It reflects how customer communication is evolving. Businesses are moving beyond standalone chatbots and looking for conversational AI that works across messaging channels, automation workflows, and customer service environments. For us, the recognition validates the direction we are taking with MyLINK Connect and conversational messaging.
Q: What is next for MyLINK Connect?
Magnus: We will continue investing in functionality that helps businesses manage customer conversations more flexibly across channels and AI environments. That includes messaging integrations, workflow capabilities, conversational orchestration, and support for evolving AI technologies.
As conversational AI continues to evolve, businesses are increasingly looking beyond standalone chatbot solutions toward more connected and flexible communication strategies. Messaging channels, AI integrations, automation workflows, and customer support systems are becoming more closely linked as organizations work to create smoother customer experiences across channels.
For LINK Mobility, the recognition from Juniper Research reflects this broader shift in the market and the growing role conversational messaging platforms play in customer communication. Through MyLINK Connect, LINK continues to invest in messaging infrastructure, AI flexibility, and conversational capabilities that support how businesses communicate with customers today and how those expectations may continue to develop in the future.
Did you find the article and topic interesting?
If you would like to explore the subject further, discuss ideas, or understand how it could apply to your business, we are here to continue the conversation.