Separate task from channel
Decide whether a task is suitable for assistance, bounded AI action or specialist judgment.
Short answer
The emerging customer experience model treats AI agents, human specialists and enterprise systems as one operating system around the customer. AI handles repeatable interpretation and action; people focus on judgment, empathy and exceptions; workflows preserve context and accountability across both.
Why “AI versus people” is the wrong framing
Customers care about resolution, confidence and effort. The optimal resource can change by step within the same journey.
Design around intents and outcomes
Map the customer intent, required systems, approvals, risks and desired outcome. Then decide which steps are autonomous, assisted or human-led.
Measure the transition
Track automation and containment, but also repeat contact, quality, transfer success, satisfaction, cost-to-serve and business outcomes. Poor automation can simply move work elsewhere.