Customer service is on the brink of major change, with AI and automation expected to redefine how organisations deliver support by 2028, according to Gartner.
Brad Fager, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner Customer Service and Support practice, said, “AI and rapidly changing customer expectations are driving the evolution of the customer service function.
Agentic AI is driving the function toward a more automated future, meaning traditional value models focused around human-to-human interactions will shift.”
In a recent Gartner survey conducted in early 2025, 51% of customers said they would be willing to use a generative AI (GenAI) assistant to manage service interactions.
This signals a shift in the nature of customer relationships, as AI-powered assistants, sometimes acting independently on behalf of customers, begin to take a more active role.
While this may streamline interactions and improve responsiveness, it also introduces new challenges. Increased automation could lead to higher volumes of service requests while reducing opportunities for direct engagement and customer insight.
“Widespread adoption of AI assistants by customers poses a cost risk that could undermine any gains made by customer service automation,” said Fager.
“To manage AI-assisted interactions, customer service leaders must assess their role in the customer journey. AI assistants act as both a channel and a customer proxy, requiring responses similar to human customers.”
The shift is further accelerated by the rise of connected devices and subscription-based services, which increase the likelihood of customer support needs throughout the user journey. As a result, service must evolve beyond reactive case handling and become integrated into the full customer experience.
“Embracing automation will become essential,” Fager added. “Customer service leaders must respond by shifting from people management to AI leadership. By adopting an automation-first approach, but also developing human talent, leaders can drive long-term value creation.”
According to Gartner, organisations that focus on product usage, adoption, and revenue growth have an opportunity to reposition service and support as strategic business drivers.
“Successful teams will shift from reactive human requests to proactive customer experience orchestration,” said Fager. “The focus of customer service will move from managing demand to value creation, with AI supporting human agents and freeing them for expanded roles.”
Author: Hannah Swankie
Reviewed by: Megan Jones
Published On: 1st Jul 2025
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