What AI agents can do is running up against the limits of what humans are willing to tolerate in customer service.
As companies continue to invest in AI agents for self-service, customers overwhelmingly prefer to speak to a human. CX leaders who ignore this simple fact do so at their own peril.
In Metrigy’s Customer Experience Optimization 2025-26 – Consumer views study, 84.7% of research participants said they would prefer interacting with a human vs. AI agent. Even if they were assured their issue would be resolved, 80.1% would still prefer a human agent, according to the study of 503 consumers.
That’s not to say consumers won’t interact with an AI agent. In fact, 46% say they will use them in select circumstances. The top three purposes they find AI agents are useful: directing them to the right person (50.4%), shipping/order confirmations (49.6%), and scheduling or rescheduling appointments (46.9%).
Customers Aren’t Quick to Accept AI in CX
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