Fortune 500 firms will keep human agents despite AI rise

Gartner: Fortune 500 Companies Won’t Eliminate Human Agents by 2028

Caption: While Salesforce and Atlassian have made headlines for laying off customer service workers, human agents aren’t going away anytime soon, experts say. (Image: sturti via Getty Images)

Key Points:

• AI Won’t Fully Replace Human Agents: Gartner predicts no Fortune 500 company will eliminate human customer service agents by 2028.
• Reduction Plans May Fail: Half of organizations planning severe contact center cuts due to AI will abandon such plans by 2027.
• Complex Issues Demand Humans: Kathy Ross, Gartner analyst, notes that remaining customer service tasks require "human empathy, judgment, and exception management" that AI can’t replicate.

Customer Preferences and Economic Realities

• Human Preference: 80% of customers prefer human support over AI, even with similar wait times, per a HubSpot and SurveyMonkey report.
• High Costs for AI: Resolving certain issues with AI may cost more than human agents, especially at scale.

Divergent Views on AI’s Impact

• Sam Altman’s Prediction: OpenAI’s CEO claims customer service jobs will become obsolete, with AI handling phone and computer-based support better (Yahoo News).
• Expert Caution: Ross acknowledges fewer agents but warns against a "fully agentless future," emphasizing the need for human roles in complex or emotional scenarios.

Strategic Balance: AI + Humans

• Blend Strengths: Companies should use AI for simple tasks and reserve humans for high-stakes or sensitive interactions.
• Avoid Over-Cutting: Reducing human agents too aggressively risks eroding customer trust and long-term value.