Automation is everywhere, from predictive text and autocorrect on your cell phone to self-checkout desks and automated payment options at the grocery store. While artificial intelligence is taking center stage in certain areas of our lives and across some industries in particular, its impact is being felt in every organization in every sector across the globe.
Whether it's automating tasks, drafting content, or analyzing data, the benefits of AI are being enjoyed by countless workers. Without question, AI is leading to greater productivity and efficiency gains, saving workers and businesses hours of time each week.
The telecommunications industry is no different. In fact, some would argue it's the most obvious sector impacted by AI. And while benefits like shorter waiting times and real-time agent assistance cannot be disputed, AI is not without its challenges or controversies. In fact, not all customers feel that AI benefits their experiences. Shep Hyken's Customer Service and CX Research 2025 found that in AI-powered customer service, 86 percent of customers believe they should have the option to speak with a human. Despite this, there have been numerous headlines about companies in this space announcing job losses alongside technology upgrades or investments.
It does beg the question whether humans working customer service and support jobs in contact centers will eventually be completely replaced? However, that's not the question we really ought to ask. The more relevant question is, should they?
Without a doubt, shifting to an AI-only model would be a critical mistake and completely overlooks the combined approach necessary to support the optimal customer experience. A recent study by Zendesk found that most customer strategists agree with this sentiment. In fact, 75 percent of CX leaders see AI as a force for amplifying human intelligence, not replacing it completely.
Contact center agents are needed to work collaboratively with AI. While AI can process data instantly and automate tasks, the possibility of a technology outage remains. This can be catastrophic for a business that relies on systems that work effectively and connect people seamlessly. According to research by PWC, when humans and AI work together, they achieve productivity gains of up to 30 percent.
Speaking of people, there is also the human aspect. Humans are more adept than machines at picking up on sarcasm, calming disgruntled customers, and adding the coveted personal touch to customer service interactions. Contact centers should therefore be investing in both its people and AI, not sacrificing one for the other.
They need to protect the essence of what made them successful in the first place. Employing millions of people around the world, contact centers initially prided themselves on delivering customer experience, grounded in human connection.
Over time, labor costs meant contact centers became increasingly expensive to run. The surge in AI was deemed a viable solution and resulted in a concerted push toward cost reductions and greater efficiency by management. As a result, we've seen the rise of AI chatbots in customer service. From online shopping queries and flight updates to technical support and sales inquiries, AI is handling customer queries at a faster pace than humans ever could have imagined or perhaps managed themselves. And while this is beneficial and makes business sense, AI alone is not sufficient to manage and, more importantly, amplify the customer experience.
Picture this, a customer with a region-specific accent attempts to report an issue to an AI customer service agent. The AI system misidentifies the accent and responds incorrectly to the query, leading to an endless loop of misunderstanding and frustration. And while many might brush this off as an occasional instance, the truth of the matter is that these types of situations can have a detrimental impact on a company's reputation and revenue. That person might decide to switch to another provider or publicly post a negative review that influences the decisions of other customers.
While AI is revolutionizing contact center solutions and operations, human oversight provides the empathy, patience, and improvization essential to enhancing the customer experience and satisfaction. Moreover, there is still demand for human agents. Looking to the United States, two senators of opposing parties, Ruben Gallego and Jim Justice, have proposed a bill requiring contact center agents to disclose whether they are AI. Upon request, customers can then ask for their calls to be attended to by human agents.
By harnessing the strengths of both technology and people, operators in the contact center space can guarantee customer confidence and drive success. Regardless of the balance between humans and AI, the bottom line for companies is the efficacy of their systems and services. That means testing, reviewing and improving operations to ensure calls are getting through, customers are being routed to the right places, and queries are being resolved. That is what it comes down to and what businesses need to remember when deciding the best approach for them.
It's true that without technologies like AI we wouldn't have the efficiency or flexibility that comes with faster response times and more self-service options. But without human agents, the customer experience risks being optimized purely for efficiency. That is the number of calls that can be marked completed rather than satisfaction and the amount of queries that are actually resolved. So instead, let's prioritize quality over quantity, value over volume, and substance over scale. The future of contact centers isn't about choosing between AI and humans. It's about designing systems where each maximizes the potential of the other. This will not only lead to faster resolutions but genuinely exceptional customer experiences.
Satish Barot is co-founder and chief technology officer of Klearcom.