Dossier
AI customer service
Coverage of AI customer service in the Nexus archive.
- How do people in the US describe customer service in 2026? ‘Debilitating, depressing, enraging. Ugh’
US residents in 2026 describe customer service as 'debilitating, depressing, enraging' due to financial and emotional costs. Guardian readers shared negative experiences with big companies, citing a focus on profits over customer well-being. The primary complaint centers on AI-driven customer service.
- AI customer service is not ready for prime time
AI customer service, particularly voice-based systems, faces challenges in real-world applications despite advanced voice capabilities. An ElevenLabs robot struggled with voice recognition and network lag during a coffee-ordering demo, highlighting broader user distrust in AI for customer service. The company, valued at $11 billion, is expanding AI voice use cases across industries.