Yes, AI can predict customer churn through email data in 2026, primarily by analysing patterns in engagement metrics and utilising machine learning algorithms to identify customers at high risk of not renewing or ceasing purchases.
As of December 2025, marketing automation platforms popular with Australian SMBs – such as HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, and Mailchimp – now include AI-powered churn prediction features. These systems work by processing data points like email open rates, click-through rates, time since last engagement, and even sentiment analysis of replies. The AI models are trained on historical customer data to identify correlations between these behaviours and actual churn events. In 2026, these platforms are expected to further refine these models with features like predictive lifetime value scoring. Australian data privacy regulations (like the Privacy Act 1988) are addressed through anonymisation and aggregation techniques within these platforms, ensuring compliance. Currently, pricing for these features varies; HubSpot’s Professional tier (including predictive lead scoring, a related function) starts around AUD $800/month, while ActiveCampaign’s pricing scales with contact numbers. Some platforms also integrate with Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems used by Australian businesses to provide a more holistic view of customer behaviour.
Ultimately, these AI systems function by identifying subtle shifts in customer engagement within email data, flagging potentially churning customers for proactive intervention.
