MASSACHUSETTS, UNITED STATES — Customer service roles are poised for dramatic transformation as AI takes over routine inquiries, according to a new Forrester report.
The analyst firm predicts human agents will shift to higher-value oversight roles while virtual assistants handle increasingly complex customer interactions.
AI drives major shift in customer service roles
Large corporations, such as Amazon, are already indicating the change, with their Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Andy Jassy, acknowledging that AI has both positive and negative effects on customer experience enhancement and employee layoffs.
Technology’s rapid development suggests that in the near future, even basic troubleshooting and frequently asked questions will become highly automated.
Human agents won’t disappear but will transition to automation supervisor roles, monitoring AI performance and intervening only when systems fail.
Forrester notes that these strategic positions will focus on optimizing workflows rather than direct customer interactions, with human involvement declining as AI learns from assisted cases.
“Humans in these strategic roles will be responsible for guiding, optimizing, and orchestrating AI workflows,” the report stated.
New hybrid workforce model emerges
The report also describes a growing workplace in which process architects and citizen developers collaborate with AI systems.
Such expert occupations will integrate business expertise into automated processes and address technical and operational requirements using low-code technology.
According to Forrester, effective organizations will no longer treat their workers as individuals with a specific job title but rather as individuals with flexible skills and capabilities.
As mundane tasks are automated, humans will continue to be important for performing high-value interactions that require empathy and the ability to solve complex problems.
The report concludes that, “As you prepare for the transition to AI-first operations, think beyond today’s defined roles and see what skills, experience, and talent can transfer to future roles.”
Customer service leaders should now focus on reskilling efforts as the key to equipping their workers to assume strategic management roles in real time, oversee AI performance, and ensure business goals are met.