Is AI About to Make Call Centers Obsolete?

Companies are racing to deploy generative AI “agents” to handle routine customer inquiries, aiming to cut costs and speed response times. Gartner forecasts that by 2029, AI will autonomously resolve most common service issues, while Tata Consultancy Services’ chief executive has suggested call centers in Asia may face a “minimal need.” Early deployments show both promise and pitfalls: rule-based bots can be rigid, and more flexible models can hallucinate or go off-brand, as seen when DPD’s chatbot berated users. Salesforce says its AgentForce boosts satisfaction and trims expenses, but success hinges on well-organized knowledge bases and careful guardrails. Regulators are circling, with U.S. proposals to mandate human handoffs on request and EU moves toward a “right to talk to a human,” underscoring that full automation may remain bounded by cost, compliance, and consumer preference.

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