A 2023 Gartner study shows that 80% of companies are using AI to improve customer experience.

The numbers don’t lie—AI is transforming customer service, and the Gartner study is one of many surveys to demonstrate that. 

In this article, we have compiled an extensive list of statistics that underlines AI’s impact areas in reshaping the future of customer support.

How AI is changing customer service

With AI, companies are reimagining customer service and improving customer experiences. As reactive support quickly becomes a thing of the past, AI is also helping them be more proactive and do more for the customers, for example: 

AI chatbots provide 24/7 availability

AI chatbots enable round-the-clock customer support, ensuring that inquiries are addressed without delays. This is particularly beneficial for companies with global operations, as chatbots can cater to customers across different time zones.

Improves efficiency and speed in handling inquiries

AI chatbots can handle multiple inquiries simultaneously, significantly reducing wait times for customers. They can provide instant answers to common questions and basic troubleshooting tasks, leading to faster resolution and higher satisfaction rates.

Enables personalized and human-like interactions

By analyzing customer data, AI can tailor responses to individual preferences, creating more personalized experiences. Advances in natural language processing allow chatbots to engage in more natural, contextual conversations.

Increases agent productivity and reduces costs

AI can automate repetitive tasks and handle high volumes of queries at a fraction of the cost of human agents. Moreover, AI-powered agent assistance tools can also guide agents with suggested responses, leading to faster resolution times.

Provides valuable insights for continuous improvement

By analyzing customer interactions across channels, AI can uncover patterns and trends that help businesses optimize their products, services, and support. For example, sentiment analysis can detect customer emotions and help identify areas for improvement.

54 statistics highlighting the use of AI in customer service

It’s safe to say that AI is no longer the future of customer service—it's already changing the way companies interact with their customers. Businesses that used to rely on reactive support are now moving toward AI-driven solutions that predict what customers need before they even ask.

Let’s go over some of the latest data points that illustrate the impact of AI on customer service:

Growth of AI in customer service

Want to see how AI is becoming the backbone of customer service? Check out these numbers:

1. 80% of companies are either using or planning to adopt AI-powered chatbots for customer service by 2025.

2. IBM Global AI Adoption Index reports that in 2024, 26% of customer service professionals will have integrated AI into their daily workflows or are experimenting with it.

3. 35% of organizations are using AI to improve customer service agent efficiency in 2024.

4. Deloitte suggests that 15% of contact centers currently use generative AI capabilities to accelerate customer authentication, summarize and simplify solution options, and provide automated call summaries and follow-up recommendations.

5. The AI customer service sector is expected to hit $4.1 billion by 2027. 

6. Between 2024 and 2030, the customer experience management (CXM) market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 15.8%.

7. Salesforce data shows that 95% of decision-makers at companies with AI report reduced costs and time savings, while 92% believe generative AI improves their customer service. Moreover, 83% plan to increase AI investments next year, with only 6% opting out of AI plans.

8. IBM reports that 74% of executives say AI will fundamentally change their approach to customer experience, 74% believe AI will shift customer perceptions of their brand, and 41% already have an AI strategy. 

9. In 2024, 26% of contact centers plan to implement AI in customer experience.  42% of contact centers plan to adopt it by 2025, and 17% aim to do so after 2026. 

10. 35% of companies are using or considering using natural language processing solutions in customer care—second only to security—in 2024. 

11. 25% of companies are considering using AI customer service automation for customer care in 2024, while 35% are using AI to speed up decision-making and improve customer experiences. (IBM)

How AI improves customer service efficiency and productivity

The real power of AI lies in its ability to combine speed, precision, and personalization. It doesn’t wait for problems to surface—AI anticipates them, analyzes customer behavior, and delivers proactive solutions. This creates smoother experiences for customers and builds stronger, long-term relationships. 

Here’s what customer service and experience professionals have noted about using AI: 

12. Companies using AI report a 37% drop in first response times compared to those without automation. 

13. AkzoNobel used AI to reduce their average response time from almost six hours to just 70 minutes. 

14. With chatbots, businesses reduce their customer service staffing needs by up to 68% during peak seasons and 51% throughout the year. 

15. AI automation helps companies resolve tickets 52% faster compared to those without it. 

16. Unity successfully deployed an AI agent to help its support team. This reduced ticket volumes by 8,000 and resulted in $1.3 million in savings. 

17. Conversational AI within contact centers will cut agent labor costs by $80 billion in 2026. 

18. AI adoption leads to a 35% cost reduction in customer service operations and a 32% revenue increase. 

19. According to KPMG, for every $1 investment in AI, businesses see an average return of $3.5, with 5% of companies reporting a return of $8. 

20. AI chatbots help streamline the buying process and lower customer service costs by 30%. 

21. Support agents using AI handle 13.8% more customer inquiries per hour. 

22. Deloitte suggests that companies using AI are 35% less likely to face situations where agents feel overwhelmed by too much information during calls. 

23. ​​AI classifications of service issues and automatic routing of contacts increase contact center productivity by 1.2 hours each day. 

24. AI-enabled customer service teams save 45% of the time spent on calls, resolve customer issues 44% faster, and experience a 35% increase in the quality and consistency of support. 

25. Intercom notes that of the teams that are using AI, 11-30% of customer support volume gets resolved through AI, which helps support reps work on trickier queries. 

26. AI saves customer service teams time in areas like feedback analysis (35%), generating responses from the knowledge base (34%), expanding notes into full replies (28%), and summarizing conversations (25%). 

How AI improves customer experience 

AI can improve customer service by offering instant solutions to customers and helping businesses personalize the customer experience at scale. 

The following data underscores this trend:

27. As per a HubSpot report, 90% of customers now expect an instant response when reaching out with a service query. 

28. 61% of consumers prefer faster replies from AI over waiting to talk to a human customer service representative. 

29. 68% of users appreciate the quickness of chatbot responses. 

30. A 2023 global survey revealed that 44% of consumers appreciate chatbots for helping them find product information before making a purchase. 

31. Consumers show strong interest in AI capabilities, with 52% wanting AI to help them during product experiences, 47% favoring personalized offers, and 42% looking for AI-driven product suggestions. 

Use of AI as chatbots 

Chatbots handle queries 24/7, provide instant answers, and free up human agents to focus on complex issues. 

Let’s look at how AI chatbots are impacting customer service:

32. 49% of U.S. adults have interacted with an AI-powered chatbot for customer service in the past year. 

33. 7% of businesses regularly use IT help desk chatbots to manage common inquiries. 

34. Nearly 75% of U.S. business owners in 2023 said AI improved customer experience through instant messaging, such as chatbots. 

35. 44% of companies anticipate using AI chatbots within the next two years—a growth of 132%. 

36. 36% of marketing leaders report using chatbots and AI-based customer support, while 20% plan to implement them within six months. 

39. 34% of consumers find AI chatbots helpful in customer service, though 43% believe there is still room for improvement. 

38. 25% of companies will rely on chatbots as their primary customer service tool by 2027. 

39. Chatbots are predicted to save businesses up to 2.5 billion hours of work by the end of 2024. 

40. AI chatbots can manage up to 80% of routine tasks and customer inquiries. 

41. 75% of customers feel that chatbots struggle with complex issues and often fail to provide accurate answers. 

42. Resolution rates for chatbot users vary widely, from 17% for billing issues to 58% for returns or cancellations. 

43. 85% of consumers feel their issues usually require the assistance of human customer support agents. 

44. 35% of consumers believe chatbots can solve their problems efficiently in most cases. 

Challenges of using AI in customer service

Customers are increasingly wary of how their data is used, and AI systems raise concerns about privacy, security, and even surveillance. 

While AI offers undeniable benefits, trust remains a huge barrier to the full acceptance of AI in customer service. 

Some statistics that highlight these concerns include the following:

45. 85% of people acknowledge the benefits of AI, but only 50% believe those benefits outweigh the potential risks. 

46. 61% of customers are wary about trusting AI systems, with 67% reporting low to moderate acceptance of AI. 

47. 30% of consumers say a negative experience with a chatbot would push them to purchase from a different brand. 

48. 53% of customers would consider switching to a competitor if they discovered AI was being used for customer service. 

49. According to a 2023 survey, 90% of people said they prefer interacting with a human for customer service over a chatbot. Of these, 61% believed humans understand their needs better, 53% believed humans provide more thorough answers, 52% said humans are less frustrating, and 51% thought humans offer more options for resolving problems. 

50. 59% of consumers feel that AI has caused businesses to lose the "human touch" in customer service. 

51. When it comes to AI in customer service, only 41% of those under 34 have negative opinions, compared to 72% of people over 65. 

52. 64% of customers would rather companies avoid using AI for customer service altogether. 

How Plivo CX helps you leverage AI for customer service

AI is transforming customer service and helping brands achieve lower operational costs, higher revenue, more efficient customer service, and happier customers. 

Enhance customer satisfaction and boost your bottom line with Plivo CX, the AI-powered, omnichannel customer support platform designed for small businesses. 

The platform offers these top AI-driven features, and more:

• AI-Powered self-service chatbots: Plivo CX offers OpenAI-developed AI chatbots trained on your support content to provide accurate, conversational responses. These chatbots handle routine inquiries, guide customers to relevant information, and escalate complex issues with detailed notes and summaries to human agents when necessary. 
• Omnichannel support: The platform unifies various communication channels—such as email, voice, SMS/MMS, WhatsApp, and live chat—into a single interface. This integration ensures seamless transitions between channels, maintaining context and continuity in customer interactions.
• More productivity: Automate and personalize customer interactions with AI agents that integrate with your CRM and custom APIs, delivering instant support and freeing up your team's valuable time.
• Proactive customer service: Ensure seamless customer service with AI voice bots that proactively handle inquiries 24/7, regardless of the communication channel.
• Improved response times: Reduce response times and enhance customer satisfaction with AI that prioritizes critical tickets. Customize AI agents to ensure consistent brand messaging and strict adherence to your company policies.

Book a demo today to learn more!