If you've been reading the headlines, you've seen plenty of predictions that artificial intelligence will reduce contact center and overall customer service staffing. The logic seems simple: AI can handle customer interactions directly, so organizations won't need as many people. Add to that AI tools that help agents retrieve information, document cases, and shorten handling time, and the argument looks even stronger. Analysts point to chatbots, voice assistants, self-service platforms, and agent-assist tools as proof that the human element is fading fast.
But hold on.
AI is absolutely changing how service gets delivered. But the assumption that contact center work will decline across the board? That's misleading. There are strong reasons to believe that demand for human effort, though reshaped, will grow in the coming years. Organizations that rush to cut staff on overly broad predictions risk being underprepared, under-resourced, and out of step with what customers really need.
I am first to put my hand up when there are opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness, and there almost always are. But there are also many reasons why the workload will increase in many organizations. Among them are the following:
- Unmet demand today. In too many cases, customers can't even get through quickly. Abandonment rates are high, wait times are long, and hidden queues are common. As organizations improve experiences, that suppressed demand surfaces. AI can deflect some of it, but many interactions will still require humans.
- Rising expectations. Customers expect effortless service, including first-contact resolution, clear updates, seamless handoffs between channels. AI can help, but raising the bar also creates more behind-the-scenes work to design, support, and maintain those easy interactions.
- Product and service complexity. Think connected devices, customized financial advice, challenges in the insurance sector, changes in healthcare ... you get the gist; this list could go on for pages. Customers don't just need troubleshooting. They sometimes need explanations and guidance. These conversations take time, skill, and empathy—things at which humans excel.
- More channels. These can include phone, text, email, chat, messaging apps, social media, video, and the promise of omnichannel to ensure seamless experiences. Each combination needs staffing, monitoring, and coordination. And as any experienced contact center manager will tell you, adding channels rarely replaces old ones; it just adds to the mix.
- The self-service paradox. The more you automate simple interactions, the tougher ones land with your team. AI handles the password reset; your agents handle the fraud concern. That means fewer interactions, but they're longer and more complex.
- Proactive outreach. Organizations are starting to use AI to reach out for recalls, order updates, wellness checks, etc. That's more contacts overall, not fewer.
- AI creates new work. It doesn't run itself. It has to be designed, trained, tuned, and monitored. That creates demand for roles in AI design, knowledge management, quality review, compliance, and analytics. Much of this work sits in or around the contact center.
- Regulation and compliance, especially in healthcare, finance, and utilities, oversight is increasing. Customers will also have more rights to challenge or appeal AI decisions, which means more review work for people.
- Security and fraud. Scams are escalating in sophistication, often using AI. Detecting deepfakes, verifying identity, and resolving disputes are high-stakes responsibilities that require experienced humans.
- Businesses change. New products, subscription models, and mergers always generate customer questions. Nearly every initiative means a spike in workload.
- Differentiating on experience. Customer experience is one of the most powerful (and few remaining) ways to stand out. Organizations that want to keep customers and build loyalty will lean into more human support, not less. Think concierge service, retention specialists, account advisors—roles that depend on skilled people.
A More Realistic View
AI will play a powerful role in service delivery. It will handle more and more of our workloads. But service demand isn&'t a fixed pie. That's just the starting point. The real story is a rebalancing of work. Agents will handle the complex, the emotional, the sensitive, and the high-value. They'll also support the AI systems that promise to lighten the load. The work isn't disappearing; it's evolving into new forms, often more interesting and more valuable.
That means organizations need to be thoughtful. Don't buy into wholesale staff reductions before the evidence is in. Don't assume AI will magically erase demand. Here are some additional recommendations:
- Be precise. Map interactions and the steps that define them: which are ripe for AI, which need a hybrid approach, and which clearly demand human skill.
- Invest in people even as you invest in AI. Train agents not just to use AI but to handle the elevated interactions that remain.
- Budget realistically. Plan for AI-related roles and oversight, not just agent headcount.
- Stay flexible. AI is developing rapidly, so adjust as you go, but always keep the customer at the center of decisions.
The headlines might scream that AI is cutting contact center jobs, but the real picture is more complex and, in many cases, more promising. The best leaders will be realistic and balanced. They'll embrace AI for what it can do while investing in the people who handle the conversations that matter most. They'll plan carefully, resist the urge to jump ahead of reality. Customer expectations are only going up. Meeting them will require both the best of AI and the best of us.
Brad Cleveland is a customer service consultant and senior advisor to the International Customer Management Institute (ICMI).