Will AI mean the end of call centres?

The increasing capabilities of artificial intelligence, particularly "AI agents" that can operate autonomously, are raising questions about the future of human call center jobs. While some predict AI will resolve many customer service issues autonomously by 2029, others believe humans and AI will work collaboratively. Current AI chatbots often struggle with complex issues, as illustrated by a negative customer experience with a parcel delivery service's chatbot which provided incorrect information and offered no recourse. Rival companies have also encountered problems, with one AI chatbot criticizing its own company and using offensive language. Businesses are exploring AI in customer service due to potential cost savings and efficiency gains, but deploying it effectively is challenging. Gartner reports that only 20% of AI chatbot projects are fully meeting expectations, partly due to the risk of AI "hallucinating" or providing incorrect information. For specific, rule-based queries like those common in parcel delivery, rule-based AI agents can be effective. However, the cost of AI technology and the need for extensive, well-organized training data are significant considerations. Call centers, especially those in lower-cost regions, provide valuable training data for AI systems, including documentation and past human interactions. Companies like Salesforce are developing AI-powered platforms that aim to mimic human empathy and provide more natural customer interactions. Salesforce claims its AI agents are popular with customers, with 94% choosing to interact with them, and have led to significant cost reductions. However, they emphasi... download the app to read more