59 AI customer service statistics for 2024

AI is everywhere. It’s no longer nice to have in CX but mission critical for meeting customer expectations for fast and personalized support. AI enhances the human aspect of customer service by delighting customers with personalized service 24/7, aiding agents in resolving requests, and enabling administrators to streamline workflows. The result is a more efficient and satisfying experience for everyone involved.

Explore the impact of AI on customer service through 59 insightful statistics, revealing the significant advantages AI brings to businesses, customers, agents, and administrators alike.

In this article:

• AI is making customer service more human
• The best customer experiences are crafted by blending AI and human expertise
• AI adoption is set to soar, with AI eventually playing a role in 100% of customer interactions
• AI agents are replacing legacy chatbots, offering more advanced capabilities
• There’s an opportunity for more intuitive AI tools to close customer service gaps
• Agents seek AI training to unlock its full potential—a gap more intuitive AI tools can also help close
• AI transparency and data security are now the rule, not the exception
• AI customer service statistics by industry
• Frequently asked questions
• AI-first service that’s catered to humans

The right AI tools can make customer service more human

It might sound contradictory, but AI can forge connections that feel authentically human. Impersonal, robotic, and frustrating AI-powered experiences are no longer acceptable, and brands are responsible for choosing the right tools and implementing them effectively. When used correctly, AI creates service experiences that are personalized, proactive, and easier for the person on the other end. With the right AI, these interactions can lead to higher-quality service for all humans involved—customers, agents, admins, managers, and even the C-suite.

Take AI agents, for example. Unlike the rudimentary bots of the past, these advanced bots are purpose-built for human connection, designed to understand the nuances of CX and fully resolve complex issues.

Here are a few stats that highlight the humanizing powers of AI.

• 1. Almost one-half of customers think AI agents can be empathetic when addressing concerns. (Zendesk)
• 2. 70% of CX leaders believe chatbots are becoming skilled architects of highly personalized customer journeys. (Zendesk)
• 3. More than two-thirds of CX organizations think generative AI will help them provide warmth and familiarity in customer service—even if they have millions of customers. (Zendesk)
• 4. 69% of organizations believe generative AI can help humanize digital interactions. (Zendesk)
• 5. 72% of CX leaders expect AI agents to be an extension of their brand’s identity, reflecting its values and voice. (Zendesk)

The best customer experiences are crafted by blending AI and human expertise

Intelligent agent assistance tools empower service teams by providing real-time suggestions for resolving customer issues. By automating routine tasks, AI allows agents to focus on more meaningful work, evolving their roles into managers, editors, and supervisors of AI.

AI CX tools are designed to enhance human expertise, enabling support teams to work more efficiently, improve their customer service skills, and spend less time on repetitive tasks. This collaboration between AI and agents leads to superior service and more fulfilling work for your team. Here are a few ways CX leaders and employees are balancing the strengths of both:

• 6. 83% of employees say AI’s capacity for decision-making is a major highlight of adoption. (Zendesk)
• 7. 80% of employees say AI has already helped improve the quality of their work. (Zendesk)
• 8. 70% of CX leaders think generative AI makes every digital customer interaction more efficient. (Zendesk)
• 9. 75% of CX leaders see AI as a force for amplifying human intelligence, not replacing it. (Zendesk)

AI adoption is set to soar, with AI eventually playing a role in 100% of customer interactions

Customer service is undergoing a major transformation with the rise of AI. According to Zendesk CEO Tom Eggemeier, we are advancing toward a world where 100 percent of customer interactions involve AI in some form.

CX leaders are rapidly adopting AI due to its ability to automate service, assist agents, and optimize workflows. AI enhances efficiency and the customer experience across all service channels, from digital to voice.

As AI technology evolves, its presence in customer service will only grow more significant. Here are a few statistics that highlight its increasing impact.

• 10. 59% of consumers believe generative AI will change how they interact with companies in the next two years. (Zendesk)
• 11. 75% of consumers who have already used generative AI think it will change their customer service experiences in the near future. (Zendesk)
• 12. 43% of customers are excited about using generative AI. (Boston Consulting Group)
• 13. 56% of CX leaders are already exploring new generative AI vendors for their CX tools. (Zendesk)
• 14. The customer experience management (CXM) market’s compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is expected to grow by 15.8% between 2024 and 2030. (Grand View Research)

• 15. 70% of CX leaders say generative AI led their organizations to re-evaluate their customer experiences. (Zendesk)
• 16. 57% of CX leaders anticipate chat-based customer support being heavily influenced by generative AI in the next two years. (Zendesk)
• 17. 62% of CX leaders say their teams feel pressure to use generative AI. (Zendesk)
• 18. 70% of CX leaders plan to integrate generative AI into many customer touchpoints within two years. (Zendesk)
• 19. 64% of CX leaders say they plan to increase investments in AI and other related technologies in the next year. (Zendesk)
• 20. Among CX leaders who believe AI helps boost human intelligence, 81% plan to embed AI into tools their agents already use in the next year. (Zendesk)
• 21. 70% of organizations are actively investing in technologies and tools that automatically capture and analyze intent signals. (Zendesk)
• 22. 42% of CX leaders see generative AI influencing voice-based interactions in the next two years. (Zendesk)
• 23. CX leaders who see high ROI on their support tools are 62% more likely to prioritize the enhancement of their voice channel with speech analytics, voice AI, and natural language processing. (Zendesk)

AI agents are replacing legacy chatbots, offering more advanced capabilities

Customers have grown accustomed to interacting with bots, but their expectations are higher, and they now demand superior AI-powered customer experiences.

Enter AI agents, the next generation of AI-powered bots capable of resolving even the most complex customer issues independently. Unlike legacy chatbots, AI agents are experts in customer service, trained on industry-leading AI models and billions of real customer interactions to automatically detect customer needs and respond like a human agent would. Plus, they continually improve with each interaction they handle.

• 24. 51% of consumers say they prefer interacting with bots over humans when they want immediate service. (Zendesk)
• 25. 58% of CX leaders believe their chatbots will grow more advanced in 2024. (Zendesk)
• 26. 56% of customers believe bots will be able to have natural conversations by 2026. (Zendesk)
• 27. 68% of consumers believe chatbots should have the same level of expertise and quality as highly skilled human agents. (Zendesk)
• 28. 64% of CX leaders report increasing their investments in evolving their chatbots within the next year. (Zendesk)
• 29. 67% of consumers are expanding their range of inquiries, asking AI/bots more varied questions than before. (Zendesk)
• 30. 67% of CX leaders believe bots can build a stronger emotional connection with customers. (Zendesk)
• 31. 48% of customers say it’s harder to tell the difference between AI and human service reps. (Zendesk)

There’s an opportunity for more intuitive AI tools to close customer service gaps

When AI is seamlessly integrated into agents’ workflows and is intuitive and easy to use, it can close critical customer service gaps. AI can automatically identify customer intent, enabling agents to resolve issues faster and more accurately. It also provides insights for personalized solutions and delivers the instant service customers expect. Beyond helping agents, intuitive AI tools can assist administrators and managers in optimizing service operations, such as forecasting staffing needs.

However, the full impact of AI may not be realized if it is too complex to learn or requires excessive time and resources to implement. The following stats illustrate how intuitive AI tools are key to streamlining service:

• 32. Among CX leaders who believe AI helps boost human intelligence, 71% say agents need AI embedded into their tool suite. (Zendesk)
• 33. Only around one-fifth of all agents say they have generative AI tools at their disposal. (Zendesk)
• 34. Only 30% of CX leaders say they automate the identification of customer intent with AI or machine learning. (Zendesk)
• 35. More than 60% of agents say they could perform their jobs better if they had access to more data to personalize interactions. (Zendesk)
• 36. 62% of CX leaders say they’re behind in providing the instant experiences that their customers expect. (Zendesk)
• 37. 69% of CX leaders say it’s a significant challenge to forecast future labor requirements. (Zendesk)

Agents seek AI training to unlock its full potential—a gap more intuitive AI tools can also help close

Agents are eager to learn how AI can help them perform their jobs more effectively, but businesses need to improve access to AI training. User-friendly AI tools can bridge this gap by simplifying the learning process, enabling agents to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge quickly and shortening training timelines.

Here are some statistics highlighting the importance of training agents on AI and selecting intuitive AI solutions to minimize training time.

• 38. 72% of CX leaders say they’ve provided adequate training for generative AI tools, but 55% of agents say they haven’t received any training. (Zendesk)
• 39. Only 45% of agents claim to have received AI training, and less than half (21%) are satisfied with that instruction. (Zendesk)
• 40. 65% of agents say the best thing to help them do their job better is more training. (Zendesk)
• 41. Merely 34% of customer service agents understand their department’s AI strategy. (Zendesk)

AI transparency and data security are now the rule, not the exception

CX leaders must prioritize transparency and data security when adopting AI solutions to build customer trust. Ethical use of AI, particularly concerning bias and discrimination, is a major concern for customers. This is why AI transparency is crucial—it involves disclosing how businesses train their tools, where they collect data, and how they analyze and use that information.

To address this, companies should proactively disclose their AI usage in customer service and their training methods. By being transparent, businesses can leverage AI to enhance customer interactions while maintaining high privacy standards.

• 42. 63% of consumers are concerned about potential bias and discrimination in AI algorithms and decision-making. (Zendesk)
• 43. 74% of CX leaders agree that AI transparency is paramount as customers and regulators demand insight into automated decision-making. (Zendesk)
• 44. Nearly 3 in 4 CEOs are worried about the level of transparency in the AI market. (PwC)
• 45. 77% of CX leaders see themselves as responsible for ensuring customer data is safe. (Zendesk)
• 46. 83% of CX leaders say data protection and cybersecurity are top priorities in our customer service strategy. (Zendesk)

AI customer service statistics by industry

While specific applications vary by industry, global statistics indicate a growing use of AI across most sectors. Let’s delve into how five industries leverage AI tools to enhance customer service operations, driving efficiency and improving the customer experience.

Banking and financial services

AI is revolutionizing banking and financial services by significantly enhancing the customer experience. Personalized banking is now more achievable as AI analyzes customer data to provide customized recommendations and financial advice.

AI-powered bots and AI agents offer 24/7 assistance, efficiently handling transactions and queries with advanced natural language processing. AI also enables proactive customer engagement by sending alerts for low balances, upcoming payments, and unusual activity. Additionally, AI streamlines processes like customer onboarding and document verification, expediting approvals for various services.

By leveraging AI, banks and financial institutions can offer more personalized, efficient, and secure services, significantly boosting CX.

• 47. In the global banking and finance sector, AI could enhance productivity by 3% to 5% and reduce expenditures by $300 billion. (McKinsey)
• 48. Banking, finance, and insurance are the second-highest users of machine learning among industries, with 18% of the market share. (S&P Global)
• 49. 46% of financial institutions using artificial intelligence have reported improved customer experience. (NVIDIA)

Manufacturing and utilities

Manufacturing has numerous applications for AI, especially in CX. Features like AI agents can assist customers with supply chain logistics, such as order status or location, or by surfacing technical product information for curious customers. AI can also troubleshoot system issues without human intervention, reducing the need for repeat on-site visits.

• 50. The global AI in manufacturing market is projected to grow from $5.5 billion in 2024 to $156.1 billion in 2033—or a staggering CAGR of 45%. (Market.US)
• 51. 74% of energy and utility companies plan to integrate AI into their operations. (IBM)
• 52. Three-fourths of advanced manufacturing companies list AI and similar technology adoption as their top priority for engineering, research, and development. (Bain & Company)

Hospitality and transportation

The hospitality sector is an ideal adopter of AI-driven CX tools because of the sheer number of customer touchpoints across different channels. AI can help customers with simple tasks—like getting the WiFi password or requesting a wake-up call—or more complex ones involving managing reservations or seeking out recommended activities in the area.

• 53. 58% of guests in the hospitality industry feel that AI improves their booking and stay experiences. (HotelTechReport)
• 54. At least 61% of consumers would use conversational AI to assist with travel plans. (National Research Group)
• 55. 84% of leisure travelers who have used generative AI to assist with travel plans report being satisfied or very satisfied with the experience. (Oliver Wyman)

Retail and e-commerce

AI is transforming customer service and experience in retail and e-commerce by providing personalized shopping experiences, streamlining operations, and increasing support efficiency.

AI agents and virtual assistants offer 24/7 customer support, handling inquiries, processing orders and returns, and resolving issues promptly. They can also connect with backend systems to suggest products tailored to individual preferences, enhancing the shopping journey. Additionally, sentiment analysis tools gather insights from customer feedback to identify areas for improvement. As a result, retailers can proactively address concerns and enhance satisfaction.

• 56. The market size for global AI in retail and e-commerce is estimated to grow from $9.4 billion in 2024 to $85.1 billion in 2032, a CAGR of 31.8%. (Fortune Business Insights)
• 57. 56% of retail and e-commerce business leaders said that the top way AI will transform organizations is with increased efficiency. (Deloitte)

Healthcare

AI is transforming the customer experience in healthcare, too. Patients can use AI agents to schedule or change appointments, eliminating the need to call and wait on hold. This also benefits healthcare customer support teams, allowing them to focus on more complex and nuanced healthcare inquiries.

• 58. Nearly 50% of healthcare professionals surveyed plan to adopt AI technologies soon for entering data, scheduling appointments, and performing research. (Tebra)
• 59. 8 in 10 Americans support the idea that AI can make healthcare more accessible and affordable. (Tebra)

Frequently asked questions

AI-first service that’s catered to humans

These AI in customer service statistics show the power of AI to deliver fast, personalized, and more human customer service experiences. When implemented correctly, AI enhances service for customers, agents, administrators, and everyone else involved. AI can optimize workflows, assist agents in resolving customer requests, and provide customers with 24/7 personalized support, ultimately improving the overall customer experience.

But not all AI is created equal. Only Zendesk AI is trained on the world’s largest CX dataset, allowing it to understand the intricacies of customer interactions. AI is deeply integrated into every part of the solution so users can transform their CX with the perfect blend of AI and human expertise. Our solution is also quick to set up and easy to use, enabling you to deliver top-tier AI-powered customer service from day one. Plus, it will scale seamlessly with your company as it grows, ensuring ongoing efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Explore the power of Zendesk AI.