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Verizon CEO Warns AI Will Replace Large Portion of Customer Service, Launches Gemini-Powered Assistant
At a Bloomberg Tech conference in San Francisco, Verizon Communications’ CEO Dan Schulman warned that artificial intelligence would soon take over a large portion of the company’s customer‑service workforce. Schulman said the carrier is already testing AI agents that outperform human reps in customer‑satisfaction metrics and plans to launch a new Gemini‑powered assistant that will tackle complex inquiries through the My Verizon app.
The remarks come as Verizon seeks to regain market share in a fiercely competitive U.S. wireless landscape. Since taking the helm in October, Schulman has focused on elevating the end‑to‑end customer experience as a differentiator. He said the goal is to make in‑store and call‑center interactions “as empathetic and consistent as possible.” Schulman added that AI can ingest Verizon’s vast customer data and tailor the value proposition to “300‑plus different ways we can look at you.”
In the past three months, Verizon has tested AI agents that replace some customer‑service reps. Schulman noted the agents’ satisfaction rate is 1,280 basis points higher than the baseline before the experiment. The company is using the data to refine the AI’s ability to resolve routine issues while leaving more complex or sensitive matters for human agents.
The move follows a broader industry trend. Forrester Research, in a report released last week, predicted that AI will cut the number of customer‑service jobs in half by 2030, with the decline concentrated in roles that handle easy questions. Forrester’s analyst Max Ball told CX Dive that as automation becomes more sophisticated, the number of human agents will continue to shrink, leaving remaining staff to focus on complex cases.
Ball also noted that new roles will emerge to train and supervise the AI. “We’re going to start shifting from people talking to customers and looking up simple things to people teaching AI how it can look up these simple things and making sure that the data is clean and correct and writing procedures for the AI to follow,” he said.
Verizon’s Gemini‑powered assistant, announced on the company’s website, is built on Google’s Gemini technology. Designed to handle complex customer inquiries, it is integrated into the revamped My Verizon app. Verizon’s press release said the new tool will “intelligently pair customers with the best available representative” and streamline the resolution process.
The rollout has already attracted mixed reactions. A WCCFTech article reported that some customers have expressed frustration with the new bots, citing poor service and higher prices. Verizon’s own announcement highlighted the goal of improving the customer experience month after month, but the company has not yet provided detailed metrics on the impact of the Gemini assistant.
Verizon’s broader AI strategy also includes a “Fast Pass” system that uses AI to route callers to the most suitable agent. The carrier claims the system saves customers time and improves satisfaction, though independent verification of those claims has not been published.
The company’s AI experiments are part of a larger effort to modernize its operations. Verizon has used AI to achieve energy savings of more than $200 million and to enhance its broadband and 5G services. The carrier’s focus on AI is expected to influence workforce planning, with potential reductions in routine customer‑service roles and increased demand for AI‑training specialists.
As Verizon continues to deploy AI across its customer‑service channels, the industry will watch how the technology affects both customer satisfaction and employment. The company’s next steps will likely include further integration of Gemini‑powered tools, expansion of AI‑assisted routing, and ongoing measurement of satisfaction metrics.
The story remains in development as Verizon reports additional data on the performance of its AI agents and as the company navigates customer feedback on the new assistant.
The remarks come as Verizon seeks to regain market share in a fiercely competitive U.S. wireless landscape. Since taking the helm in October, Schulman has focused on elevating the end‑to‑end customer experience as a differentiator. He said the goal is to make in‑store and call‑center interactions “as empathetic and consistent as possible.” Schulman added that AI can ingest Verizon’s vast customer data and tailor the value proposition to “300‑plus different ways we can look at you.”
In the past three months, Verizon has tested AI agents that replace some customer‑service reps. Schulman noted the agents’ satisfaction rate is 1,280 basis points higher than the baseline before the experiment. The company is using the data to refine the AI’s ability to resolve routine issues while leaving more complex or sensitive matters for human agents.
The move follows a broader industry trend. Forrester Research, in a report released last week, predicted that AI will cut the number of customer‑service jobs in half by 2030, with the decline concentrated in roles that handle easy questions. Forrester’s analyst Max Ball told CX Dive that as automation becomes more sophisticated, the number of human agents will continue to shrink, leaving remaining staff to focus on complex cases.
Ball also noted that new roles will emerge to train and supervise the AI. “We’re going to start shifting from people talking to customers and looking up simple things to people teaching AI how it can look up these simple things and making sure that the data is clean and correct and writing procedures for the AI to follow,” he said.
Verizon’s Gemini‑powered assistant, announced on the company’s website, is built on Google’s Gemini technology. Designed to handle complex customer inquiries, it is integrated into the revamped My Verizon app. Verizon’s press release said the new tool will “intelligently pair customers with the best available representative” and streamline the resolution process.
The rollout has already attracted mixed reactions. A WCCFTech article reported that some customers have expressed frustration with the new bots, citing poor service and higher prices. Verizon’s own announcement highlighted the goal of improving the customer experience month after month, but the company has not yet provided detailed metrics on the impact of the Gemini assistant.
Verizon’s broader AI strategy also includes a “Fast Pass” system that uses AI to route callers to the most suitable agent. The carrier claims the system saves customers time and improves satisfaction, though independent verification of those claims has not been published.
The company’s AI experiments are part of a larger effort to modernize its operations. Verizon has used AI to achieve energy savings of more than $200 million and to enhance its broadband and 5G services. The carrier’s focus on AI is expected to influence workforce planning, with potential reductions in routine customer‑service roles and increased demand for AI‑training specialists.
As Verizon continues to deploy AI across its customer‑service channels, the industry will watch how the technology affects both customer satisfaction and employment. The company’s next steps will likely include further integration of Gemini‑powered tools, expansion of AI‑assisted routing, and ongoing measurement of satisfaction metrics.
The story remains in development as Verizon reports additional data on the performance of its AI agents and as the company navigates customer feedback on the new assistant.
