Customer service agents eye exit, not driven by AI fears
AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND — Nearly one in three customer service agents plan to leave their jobs within six months, but concerns about artificial intelligence (AI) are not the driving force, according to new survey data that underscores how workplace expectations—not automation, are reshaping the future of work.
According to a report from CX Dive, a survey by Verint of 1,000 agents at large organizations found that flexibility, not fear of replacement, is pushing workers to consider their next move.
Nine in 10 respondents said schedule flexibility is a key factor when choosing a job, highlighting a growing demand for work arrangements that align with personal needs.
Flexibility, not AI, fuels agent turnover
The findings point to a workforce recalibrating priorities in the post-pandemic era, where rigid schedules are increasingly at odds with employee expectations. Nearly one-third of agents said they are likely to quit within six months, signaling potential instability in customer service operations globally.
Despite rapid advancements in AI, only 8% of respondents said they fear being replaced by the technology in the next three years. Instead, workers appear more focused on improving work-life balance than resisting automation.
This shift reflects a broader future-of-work trend: employees are no longer just seeking job security, but roles that offer autonomy and adaptability.
For employers, the data suggests retention strategies may hinge more on flexible scheduling than on managing fears around AI disruption.
AI reshapes roles, raises skill demands
While agents are not overly concerned about losing their jobs to AI, they do expect it to transform how they work. Three in five respondents said their roles will become more complex or technical as AI tools are integrated into daily operations.
AI is already being used to streamline routine tasks that consume much of an agent’s time. Nearly half of customer calls require agents to search for information, taking an average of 2.7 minutes per interaction.
“The biggest opportunity is using AI to handle the ‘busy work’ inside interactions — e.g. gathering context, surfacing knowledge, automating wrap up — so agents can focus on empathy and resolution,” said Anna Convery, chief marketing officer at Verint.
As AI takes over repetitive tasks, the nature of the job is shifting.
“AI removes routine work, which means agents increasingly handle more complex interactions that require judgement, emotional intelligence and exception handling,” Convery added.
“The job becomes less about execution and more about decision-making and working effectively alongside AI, which raises the skill ceiling rather than the workload,” Convery emphasized.
Still, human interaction remains central. Research shows 88% of consumers are satisfied with human-led support, compared with 60% for AI-only interactions, reinforcing the continued importance of human skills in an AI-augmented workplace.
The evolving dynamic suggests that in the future of work, AI will not replace customer service agents—but will redefine their roles, making them more skilled, adaptive and human-centric.
