Gartner: Agentic AI Will Play Dominant Role in Resolving Customer Service Issues

By 2029, agentic AI will autonomously resolve 80% of common customer service issues without human intervention, leading to a 30% reduction in operational costs, according to Gartner, Inc.

While previous AI models were limited to generating text or summarizing interactions, agentic AI introduces a new paradigm where AI systems possess the capability to act autonomously to complete tasks. Gartner expects that companies and organizations will leverage this technology to automate interactions through the use of AI agents and bots, fundamentally reshaping the relationship between service teams and their customers.

“Agentic AI has emerged as a game-changer for customer service, paving the way for autonomous and low-effort customer experiences,” said Daniel O’Sullivan, Senior Director Analyst in the Gartner Customer Service & Support Practice. “Unlike traditional GenAI tools that simply assist users with information, agentic AI will proactively resolve service requests on behalf of customers, marking a new era in customer engagement.”

This shift requires service teams to adapt to supporting both human customers and an increasing number of machine customers powered by these advanced AI tools. For customer service teams accustomed to handling reactive demand from human customers, this transition presents a potential challenge.

“Organizations will need to rethink their approach to managing inbound service interactions, preparing for a future where AI-driven requests become the norm. In this future, automation will need to become the dominant strategy for all service teams,” O’Sullivan added.

For customers leveraging agentic AI, Gartner says the service experience will undergo a significant transformation. AI agents will not only provide information but will also take action, such as navigating websites to cancel memberships or negotiating optimal shipping rates on behalf of business customers. Beyond these delegated tasks, agentic AI holds the potential for proactive issue identification and resolution.

In preparation for this trend, Gartner recommends that customer service and support leaders should anticipate more automated interactions from AI agents, and invest in scalable infrastructure and optimize self-service channels to manage bot traffic. The report also recommends updating of models to handle AI-driven service volume and implement dynamic routing to differentiate between human and AI interactions. Furthermore, guidelines should be developed for AI-led interactions, addressing data privacy, security, and escalation.

Gartner clients can read more in: “What is Agentic AI and How Will It Impact Customer Service and Support?” and in the Q&A: “Customer Service Leaders Should Strategically Integrate Agentic AI to Enhance Efficiency and Redefine Service Roles.”

Channel Impact^®
Agentic AI is poised to revolutionize the way service interactions are conducted. Service organizations and allied channel partners must brace for changes in the nature and volume of interactions, which will redefine the relationship between service teams and their customers, open new avenues for value delivery, and alter the landscape of customer data collection.