Success with Agentic AI in CX: Applying the Human Touch

Since the advent of artificial intelligence, there has been a perception that AI would eventually replace human workers in CX. However, generative AI is now commonplace in contact centres and human agents are still there, working alongside it, managing AI tools and providing the vital oversight needed to make sure they work.

Now, agentic AI has become the biggest trend in CX in 2025 delivering on its promises; reasoning, making decisions and acting proactively – just like human agents. So, the same fear has resurfaced. But, while AI has advanced, it still lacks the ability to navigate ambiguity and make subjective judgements.

And that’s where the human element comes into play – and can make all the difference when it comes to truly succeeding with agentic AI in CX.

The CX landscape now consists of three distinct approaches: generative AI, or self-service chatbots, focussed on resolving basic queries; more sophisticated agentic AI bots capable of making decision and taking actions; and human agents that manage, control and leverage these tools to enhance CX. All three work together in harmony, but lose the human element and the ecosystem will quickly fail.

Knowing when to limit AI in the customer experience is just as important as knowing where to implement it. That depends on multiple factors, such as customer demographics, query complexity, operational objectives and the capabilities of the deployed AI tools. The key to delivering more with agentic AI is to balance its capabilities with what human agents are good at. Since agentic AI is rules-based; it can’t use critical thinking or empathy. Moreover, it’s critical that customers connect emotionally with brand and agentic AI can’t foster that type of connection.

The best CX leaders now know that succeeding with agentic AI means evaluating the gaps and opportunities created by the technology, then ensuring your people have the skills and knowledge to fill the gaps, elevating the customer experience and driving more value for the business.

So what sets human agents apart from the robotic ones? What are the skills and traits CX managers should seek out and instil in employees? That comes down to five main categories:

Critical thinking – Analysing situations beyond surface data by questioning assumptions, identifying bias and applying logic to address customer concerns.

Situational awareness – Appraising customer interactions in real-time to deliver highly personalised support with empathy.

On-site experience – Experienced contact centre employees have a unique understanding of their work environment, their role in it and the tools in use. That means they understand any quirks associated with the job and the technology. They know what the most frequent enquiries are going to be at any given time, what challenges are likely to occur on a day-to-day basis and how to deal with them effectively.

Creative problem-solving – In unexpected scenarios, human agents can use innovation and initiative to find creative solutions that solve problems, or exceed customer expectations.

Persuasion and influence – Human agents can be salespeople too, cross-selling and upselling if an opportunity is identified.

Agentic AI in CX can supply insights, summarise conversations and provide customer history so that human agents can make informed decisions that can affect customer satisfaction and drive revenue, but they’re only as good as the data they’re trained on and that requires human oversight. Due to its complexity, agentic AI in CX systems requires much more robust monitoring and quality assurance compared to simpler automated solutions. Humans must be there to ensure that agentic agents are driving business goals, complying with ethical and legal considerations, and constantly refine the tools to ensure they improve on what they deliver. All of this means excellent career prospects for contact centre employees seeking to take on more senior roles training and managing AI agents.

It’s time for CX teams to stop viewing agentic AI as a threat, but as a partner, something that evolves and transforms the role of contact centre workers. CX leaders are critical in this, as they are the ones that need to optimise the implementation of agentic AI to get most value from it, along the way identifying skills gaps, creating opportunities for human-AI collaboration and driving more benefits from the technology as it develops.

For advice on the best ways to implement agentic AI in CX operations, talk to DigitalWell. To discover more about upgrading your CX platform for greater business success, download the DigitalWell CX Buying Guide.