It's The End Of Customer Service As We Know It
AI agents are about to change everything and do it all without you even noticing.
Weekly inspiration, education, and coaching for customer-obsessed leaders.
—Welcome to the DCX Newsletter—
In 1997, IBM’s Deep Blue delivered a gut punch to human ego when it defeated chess grandmaster Garry Kasparov.
It wasn’t just a machine outthinking a person—it was a warning shot about what computers could do.
Fast forward 27 years, and we’re standing at the edge of another revolution.
This time, it’s not a chessboard that’s being disrupted—it’s how businesses interact with their customers.
The once simple act of helping people solve problems has transformed into a complex balancing act of expectations, speed, and personalization.
And guess what? AI is taking the lead.
What if customers never had to contact support because every issue was resolved before they even noticed it?
That’s the promise of autonomous AI agents. These aren’t your typical chatbots. They don’t waste your time with, “I didn’t quite catch that. Let me transfer you to a representative.”
Instead, these digital powerhouses predict, prevent, and resolve problems before customers even know they exist.
The AI Agents You Didn’t Know You Needed
Let’s face it: traditional customer service has always been reactive. Something breaks; you call support. A product disappoints; you complain.
Now imagine this: your internet slows down during a Zoom meeting, but before you can panic, an AI agent spots the issue, reroutes your connection, and sends you a quick notification: “We noticed a slowdown in your service and fixed it. You’re good to go!”
No waiting. No frustration. No stress.
This isn’t science fiction—it’s the future of customer service, powered by autonomous AI agents.
These aren’t smarter chatbots—they’re independent problem-solvers.
Unlike today’s tools that rely on rigid scripts, these AI agents act autonomously.
They detect, analyze, and fix problems before they escalate.
Take e-commerce: if an order is delayed, most companies today send a bland apology email. Tomorrow’s AI agents will go further:
Flag the delay.
Recalculate delivery estimates.
Notify the customer with accurate updates.
Suggest alternatives if the wait is too long.
Update inventory systems to prevent future issues.
All of this happens automatically—no human needed.
Think of these agents as tireless digital employees who never take a coffee break or call in sick.
But Wait—What About the Humans?
If this sounds like robots coming for your job, relax.
Autonomous AI isn’t here to replace humans; it’s here to make their lives easier.
Let’s be honest: a lot of customer service work is repetitive and tedious.
Think password resets, order tracking, or “Did you try turning it off and back on again?”
When AI handles these tasks, human agents are freed up to focus on the stuff that actually matters: solving complex problems, building relationships, and creating memorable experiences for customers.
Imagine a support team that’s no longer buried under routine tickets.
Instead, they’re handling the big, impactful cases—delighting VIP customers, resolving tricky edge cases, or brainstorming ways to improve the overall experience.
AI does the grunt work.
Humans bring the creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking.
Together, they create something much greater than the sum of their parts.
The Trust and Transparency Dilemma
Of course, not everyone’s thrilled about the rise of AI in customer service.
Skeptics point to AI’s limitations: it can lack nuance, fail to understand cultural context, or escalate problems when it shouldn’t.
There’s also a trust issue. Customers don’t like being fooled into thinking they’re talking to a human when they’re not.
This is why transparency matters.
The companies leading the charge will be upfront about when you’re interacting with AI and when you’re not.
They will design systems with clear escalation paths so customers can easily switch to a human if needed.
And they’ll focus on building trust through honesty, rather than hiding behind a facade of “human-like” responses.
Trust is the currency that makes these systems work.
Get it right, and customers embrace the technology.
Get it wrong, and you’re stuck with angry customers and tarnished loyalty.
Autonomous Agents: Pros and Cons
The Next 24 Months: What to Watch For
The next two years will be a turning point for Agentic AI.
Companies that adopt early will gain a significant edge, while others risk falling behind.
Early adopters will have moved beyond testing and pilot programs, weaving AI agents into the fabric of their daily operations.
The pace of innovation is wild.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s coming:
Frustration-Free Customer Service: Customers will start expecting problems to be solved before they even notice them. AI agents will fix delays, handle glitches, and optimize experiences so smoothly that “bad customer service” could feel like a thing of the past.
Even Smarter Personalization: AI won’t just know what customers want—it’ll predict their needs before they do. Agents will use smarter data to make interactions feel tailored to the individual, down to anticipating preferences and offering solutions that actually make sense.
AI Everywhere: Agentic AI won’t stay in customer service. It’s going to show up in HR (scheduling interviews), logistics (flagging supply chain delays), and sales (suggesting personalized product recommendations). It’ll be like having an invisible assistant in every department.
Big Focus on Ethics: With AI taking on more responsibilities, customers and regulators will demand transparency. People will want to know when they’re talking to an AI, how decisions are made, and that the systems are fair. The companies who get this right will win trust—and loyalty.
Humans + AI = Dream Team: By 2026, the partnership between humans and AI will really hit its stride. AI will handle repetitive tasks and background work, while humans focus on complex problems and emotional connections. Together, they’ll create service experiences that wow customers.
Cooler Tech Like AR and VR: AI agents will go beyond chat and voice to things like augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Imagine troubleshooting a device through an AR demo or shopping with an AI in a virtual store. It’s going to get immersive.
Smaller Businesses Jump In: As Agentic AI gets more affordable and easier to use, smaller companies will adopt it too. From local retailers to growing startups, businesses of all sizes will use AI to step up their game.
Agentic AI will reshape customer service and business operations, giving customers smoother, faster, and more personal experiences than ever.
So, now what?
By 2026, Agentic AI will no longer be a “nice-to-have”—it’ll be a business essential.
The question isn’t whether companies should adopt it but how fast they can.
If you’re ready to lead the charge, start by exploring the 10 Agentic AI companies I’ve highlighted below. 👇👇👇
These innovators are shaping the future of customer service—and they might just hold the key to transforming your business.
The clock is ticking. Agentic AI is here, and it’s changing the game.
Are you ready to keep up?
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10 Agentic AI Companies to Watch
Autonomous AI agents aren’t just a concept—they’re here, reshaping how businesses engage with customers and solve problems. Whether you’re looking to streamline operations, deliver hyper-personalized experiences, or stay ahead of the competition, these companies are leading the charge.
Each one is pushing boundaries with innovative solutions that take customer experience beyond automation, delivering proactive, intelligent interactions that feel almost human—but better.
If you’re ready to see what’s possible, start with these 10 companies making waves in the world of Agentic AI.
11x.ai
Key Features: Develops AI-powered digital workers, such as Alice (an AI Sales Development Representative) and Jordan (an AI Phone Agent), designed to autonomously handle tasks like lead generation, personalized outreach, and customer engagement.
Use Cases: Automating sales processes, enhancing customer interactions, and streamlining go-to-market operations.
Industry Focus: Sales, marketing, and revenue operations.
URL: 11x.ai
SuperAGI
Key Features: Provides AI agents for sales, marketing, support, and app development.
Use Cases: Sales automation, customer support, and application development assistance.
Industry Focus: Sales, marketing, and customer service.
URL: SuperAGI
Microsoft Copilot
Key Features: Offers autonomous agents for various business processes through Copilot Studio.
Use Cases: Assisting with business workflows, automating repetitive tasks, and enhancing productivity.
Industry Focus: Business operations and productivity tools.
URL: Microsoft Copilot
Dynamics 365
Key Features: Introduced 10 new autonomous agents for sales, service, finance, and supply chain teams.
Use Cases: Sales and customer service automation, financial tasks, and supply chain management.
Industry Focus: Sales, finance, customer service, and supply chain.
URL: Dynamics 365
BabyAGI
Key Features: An open-source project for autonomous AI agents.
Use Cases: Task automation and experimental AI learning.
Industry Focus: Research, automation, and innovation.
URL: BabyAGI
AgentGPT
Key Features: A platform for creating and deploying autonomous AI agents.
Use Cases: Custom AI deployments for various business processes.
Industry Focus: Business, development, and AI customization.
URL: AgentGPT
Relevance AI
Key Features: Provides tools to build and recruit autonomous AI agents.
Use Cases: Enhancing business processes through AI integration.
Industry Focus: Business automation and AI tools.
URL: Relevance AI
Salesforce Einstein
Key Features: Offers AI-powered agents for various business functions.
Use Cases: Automating customer service, sales, and other business functions.
Industry Focus: CRM, customer support, and sales.
URL: Salesforce Einstein
Spell.so
Key Features: Provides a no-code platform for creating customizable autonomous AI agents with web access, API integrations, and task-specific plugins.
Use Cases: Ideal for building AI agents that handle tasks like competitive analysis, market research, customer support, and data retrieval.
Industry Focus: Research, business automation, e-commerce, and AI development.
URL: Spell.so
Artisan
Key Features: Offers AI-powered digital workers, known as Artisans, that integrate seamlessly into existing teams to automate workflows without requiring coding expertise.
Use Cases: Automating outbound sales processes, lead generation, personalized email outreach, and other repetitive business tasks.
Industry Focus: Sales, marketing, and business process automation.
URL: Artisan.co
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👋 Please Reach Out
I started this newsletter to help customer-obsessed professionals deliver better customer experiences — and to have more conversations with friendly and interesting people exactly like you! 😊 If you ever...
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— Mark
www.marklevy.co
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