By Thomas Moore, Chief Operating Officer, Custom Connect
Over the past year, a wave of headlines has warned that artificial intelligence will cause major job losses in customer service and contact centres.
Ziptone recently reported that “nearly one in three companies expect to cut jobs next year because of AI,” and the BBC highlighted growing concern that automation will make many frontline roles obsolete.
The message is clear: AI is coming for our jobs.
But the reality I see every day in our industry tells a different story – one of empowerment, not elimination.
The Real Shift: From Tasks to Talent
There’s no denying that AI is reshaping the way contact centres operate. Routine queries, simple status checks, and repetitive data entry are increasingly handled by automation. But that’s only one side of the picture.
What AI is really doing is liberating people from low-value, repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on what humans do best – solving problems, building trust, and creating meaningful connections.
At Custom Connect, we’ve seen this shift first-hand across our operations in Europe, South Africa and Suriname. When AI is deployed with the right intent, it doesn’t reduce the need for people – it elevates them. It creates more fulfilling, higher-value work.
A Skills Evolution, Not a Job Reduction
It’s true that the skills needed in contact centres are evolving. Tomorrow’s agent will need to be digitally fluent, emotionally intelligent, and comfortable working alongside technology. But that doesn’t mean fewer people – it means different people, in different roles.
We’re already seeing the rise of new functions: conversation designers, AI trainers, quality coaches, and data analysts – roles that simply didn’t exist a few years ago. The industry is moving from managing transactions to managing relationships, supported by smarter systems that guide and inform every interaction.
This shift is creating opportunities for career growth, faster learning, and better engagement. In many cases, agents are achieving stronger results and reporting higher satisfaction once AI becomes part of their day-to-day work.
AI as an Enabler of Performance
The companies thriving today aren’t those cutting headcount; they’re the ones using AI to enhance human performance.
Tools such as agent-assist systems, knowledge surfacing, and predictive coaching are helping agents resolve complex issues more confidently and efficiently. AI is becoming a behind-the-scenes partner – providing real-time insight, flagging opportunities for improvement, and allowing leaders to focus on development rather than micromanagement.
At Custom Connect, we’ve built on that philosophy through our platform, Myia – an AI-driven quality and coaching tool designed to identify opportunities, support growth, and measure improvement. It’s not about replacing people; it’s about giving them the data and insight to get better, faster.
Rethinking What “Success” Looks Like
The danger for our industry isn’t AI itself – it’s how we choose to use it. When technology is viewed solely as a cost-saving measure, the human side of service is lost.
But when AI is used to amplify people, the results are transformative: higher quality, better engagement, stronger customer outcomes, and a more motivated workforce.
In the next five years, the real differentiator between businesses that thrive and those that fade won’t be whether they have AI – it will be how they use it. Success will belong to the organisations that combine human empathy with intelligent automation to create experiences that are both efficient and deeply personal.
The Human Future of AI
AI will continue to change contact centres – that much is certain. But it doesn’t signal the end of human work. It signals the beginning of a more meaningful era, where people are supported by technology that helps them do their best work.
For leaders, the challenge is to build environments where AI and people can thrive together – where innovation and empathy coexist.
At Custom Connect, that’s the future we’re building: one where technology empowers people, not replaces them, and where every interaction is faster, smarter, and more human than ever before.
If you want to continue the discussion or learn more about how Myia could deliver real ROI for your business, please contact Thomas Moore.