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 email replies (where available and compliant with Australian privacy laws). 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 refine these models further, incorporating more sophisticated natural language processing to better understand customer intent. Some platforms are integrating with Australian-based customer data platforms (CDPs) to enrich the data used for prediction. Feature availability and pricing vary; for example, HubSpot’s AI features are tiered within their subscription plans, while ActiveCampaign offers predictive sending and churn risk scoring as add-ons.
Ultimately, these systems function by identifying subtle shifts in customer behaviour within email interactions and assigning a ‘churn risk’ score, allowing businesses to proactively address potential issues.
