News
The Gist
- Generative AI's impact on customer service jobs. The International Labour Organization's report found several customer service tasks with high automation potential due to generative AI, including issuing tickets, taking reservations and determining service routes.
- GPT technology and 'knowledge work.' Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPTs) are likely to target "knowledge work" jobs, especially clerical roles.
- Managing the socioeconomic effects of generative AI. The report states that generative AI's impact is neutral, but its effects will depend on its management.
Customer service jobs just can't escape the generative AI jobs-eating machine. At least according to another study on the impact of the transformative technology that's red-hot even as we approach the one-year anniversary of the revolutionary generative AI chatbot ChatGPT.
The International Labour Organization in its August report, "Generative AI and Jobs: A global analysis of the potential effects on job quantity and quality," found several customer service tasks that have high automation potential. And what does automation mean? Replacement of human beings.
Generative AI Replaces Human Customer Service Jobs?
The report specifically cited these customer service tasks subject to automation and generative AI:
- Issuing tickets for attendance at sporting and cultural events
- Taking reservations, greeting guests and assisting in taking orders
- Determining the most appropriate route for service delivery
- Making and confirming reservations for travel, tours and accommodation
What does that mean for the humans behind those jobs? The potential to need to beef up their LinkedIn profiles and hunt for another job.
The report concludes this is not exactly a done deal, however. The customer service jobs that include these tasks won't automatically be wiped out by generative AI that sends humans packing and calling for an Uber to the unemployment office.
Study authors Paweł Gmyrek, Janine Berg and David Bescond did not predict alarming net job losses but instead foresaw a transformation of work. While early AI adoption studies highlighted automation potential in low-skill, repetitive jobs, the emergence of Generative Pre-Trained Transformers (GPTs) reinforces a shift toward non-routine tasks.
Related Article: Generative AI Will Reduce 30% of Customer Service and Support Agents
GPT Technology Targets 'Knowledge Work' Jobs
GPT's refined ability to perform cognitive tasks means that automation will likely target "knowledge work" jobs. Which jobs have the highest exposure to GPT tech? Clerical jobs, with many tasks being highly exposed to potential automation. Other "knowledge work" jobs have partial exposure, suggesting potential for augmentation and productivity benefits rather than job displacement.
The report identifies tasks with high automation potential and clusters them into thematic groups. Some of the thematic groups and sample tasks include:
- Administrative and communication tasks: Making appointments for clients, dealing with routine correspondence, photocopying and faxing documents.
- Customer service and coordination: Issuing tickets for events, taking reservations, determining appropriate routes, making and confirming reservations for travel and accommodation.
- Data management and record keeping: Maintaining records of stock levels, initiating records for new workers, importing and exporting data between different systems.
- Information processing and language services: Taking dictation, translating languages, converting information into codes.
- Providing information and responding to inquiries: Responding to inquiries about problems, describing points of interest, determining customer requirements, advising on product range and price.
Generative AI: Not Good. Not Bad.
Generative AI's impact on work is neither inherently good nor bad, according to the report. Its socioeconomic effects will depend on how its adoption is managed.
Power balance, worker voice, respect for norms and rights and the use of social protection and skills training systems are crucial for managing AI's workplace deployment.
Without proper policies, only certain countries and market participants might benefit, while the costs to affected workers could be significant. Policymakers should view the study as a call to action to address the technological changes ahead, researchers said.
"Moreover," study authors found, "the likely ramifications on job quality might be of greater consequence than the quantitative impacts, both with respect to the new jobs created because of the technology, but also the potential effects on work intensity and autonomy when the technology is integrated into the workplace. For this reason, we also emphasize the need for social dialogue and regulation to support quality employment."
Related Article: Can Generative AI Boost Productivity, Attitude of Customer Service Agents?
The Next Steps for Customer Experience Leaders
What does this all mean for customer experience leaders? Probably a hard look at the current jobs subjected to a high likelihood of automation and a determination if generative AI augments or replaces workers.
We do know this: Marketing and customer care is at the top of the list when it comes to generative AI use cases. But we also recognize this: Gartner released a prediction this month that found by 2026, investment in generative AI will lead to a 20% to 30% reduction of customer service and support agents. However, the analyst firm added, generative AI at the same time will create new customer service jobs to enable generative AI in customer service and support.
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What's a customer experience leader to do with all these findings and twists and turns related to generative AI and customer service jobs? Perhaps start by embracing generative AI. It just may improve life for your customer service support agents who are on the hook for jobs replacement.
"There will of course be downsides to all this use of generative AI," Christopher Penn, marketing, AI and data analyst, wrote in his Aug. 20 blog. "There will be massive, unforeseen changes in every walk of life. It will not and cannot be all sunshine and roses. But there are billions of people with trillions of stories and ideas waiting to be brought to life, and if we do things well, the fabric of our civilization and the narratives of our peoples will be richer for it. Start dreaming about tomorrow, because AI is giving you what you need to build the tomorrow you want, today."
