Artificial Intelligence, or AI, has been traveling across many industries, changing how businesses are serving their customers. But consumers, watching AI come up in headlines across the world fear that AI might soon take over their jobs that they love and need. Though the collection of concern seems to be practical, many neglect to view AI in the light of how much it has helped large companies progress, especially in the customer support industry. There is also the possibility of AI being able to create more jobs for Americans instead of the somewhat expectedly negative 'world take over'. Large companies in numerous industries have successfully utilized AI technologies into their customer support strategies, such as in the creation of downloadable self-help materials and interactive chatbots that can automate their interactions to give customers the answers they are looking for. What’s great about these technologies is how accessible it has become to consumers,whether through their laptops or mobile phone. Companies’ use of AI is changing the customer support industry today and leaves us wondering what is to come in the future. Because of the advancement of AI and customer interactions, customers can self-troubleshoot their own problems and answer their own questions with bots and materials, without needing to call a live agent. But what does this mean for the agents?

In a recent article by Harvard Business Review, numerous cited studies concluded that consumers believed 47 percent of jobs will become automated by 2033. They believe over half of the jobs will be run by robots. On the other hand, some believed only 4 percent of jobs will be affected by the year 2020. Though the opinions of consumers are important to the AI movement, it is unlikely that there will be a Terminator-like AI takeover of jobs, leaving Americans scrambling for work. What is more likely is AI being able to open up more positions. Agents who usually take care of general customer questions are sometimes from an offshore customer center. If AI can offset these “tier-one” positions, this allows companies to invest more time and money into opening positions, right here in the U.S., for agents to answer more complex inquiries that AI technologies are not able to answer. These positions for live agents are known as ‘tier-two’ positions. Creating more jobs in these tier-two departments is an open door for agents who excel in the topic of their industry and can spend more time on sophisticated customer questions, ensuring accurate answers. This eliminates time consumption on live agents trying to balance simple and complex inquiries. With AI handling simple customer questions, live agents are able to use their time for the complex questions and even be able to use AI to their advantage.

What’s great about these technologies is how accessible it has become to consumers, whether through their laptops or mobile phone

Just as useful AI technologies with chatbots and downloadable materials can be to customers, live agents can access AI-driven guides and materials, using this ‘assistant’ to allow them to find the correct answers for customers if they are having trouble and still provide a positive experience. Sounds great that AI can open opportunities for companies’ customer support departments, but this also leaves the big suggestions of consumers being able to keep up with these tech-savvy services. With more job openings relating to AI support technologies, this requires those in the workforce or planning to enter, to grow their knowledge and skills in AI. AI will soon spread across countless industries, not just IT, and the more consumers expand their skills to keep up with the changing world, the more qualified they can be to fill these new positions opening up for Americans.