By 2028, customer service will look drastically different, and the shift is already underway. According to a recent Gartner survey, 51% of customers say they’d be happy to let a GenAI assistant handle support interactions on their behalf. That’s not just a channel change — it’s a total rewrite of the customer relationship.
In this AI-powered future, automation will be everywhere. Gartner predicts that service organisations will lean heavily on GenAI to not only respond to customer requests, but to predict and prevent issues before they even arise. Think AI that detects a problem with a device before the user ever notices — and quietly resolves it in the background. Service will be proactive, predictive, and increasingly invisible.
“AI and rapidly changing customer expectations are driving the evolution of the customer service function,” said Brad Fager, senior director analyst in the Gartner Customer Service and Support practice. Agentic AI is driving the function toward a more automated future, meaning traditional value models focused around human-to-human interactions will shift.”
That push for automation isn’t just about improving CX. Many executives see AI as a strategic lever for cutting operational costs, even replacing headcount. Gartner warns that service and support leaders are already under mounting pressure to automate “limitlessly,” with AI taking over everything from knowledge base generation to data hygiene and governance tasks.
Customers Demand AI
But it’s not just companies bringing AI to the table. Customers are, too. As more users adopt GenAI assistants, machine-to-machine customer service is on the rise. In this emerging landscape, brands may no longer speak directly to humans — they’ll interact with bots acting on their customers’ behalf. That could reduce the opportunity for building better relationships, understanding emotional nuance, or capturing voice-of-the-customer data.
In addition, support isn’t just a post-sale lifeline anymore — it’s moving upstream. With always-connected products and subscription models, Gartner notes that service now plays a pivotal role throughout the entire customer journey. The most future-ready service teams will transform from reactive cost centres to strategic drivers of product adoption, retention, and growth.
AI isn’t just another tool, but a shift in how customers connect with brands. Service leaders who act now will shape the future. Those who don’t may find themselves automating their way into irrelevance.