The rise of Agentic AI is set to transform how companies deliver customer support. According to a new Cisco report, by 2028, nearly 68% of all customer service interactions with technology vendors will be managed by agentic AI. The research highlights the growing reliance on AI to enhance personalization, reduce complexity, and deliver faster, more accurate support—while keeping human connection central to the experience.
AI Set to Revolutionize Customer Experience in the Tech Sector
Cisco’s newest global survey, which surveyed nearly 8000 business and technology leaders worldwide in 30 countries, points to AI-led experiences becoming commonplace. The report, titled “The Race to an Agentic Future,” outlines that 92% of respondents view vendor support as more critical than ever due to increasing IT complexity. Simultaneously 93% believe that agentic AI can deliver more personalized, proactive, and predictive support represents a major shift.
Agentic AI is meant to mean intelligent systems that automate routine support tasks, but also learn, reason, and can act independently to achieve specified outcomes. Unlike traditional automation, agentic AIs replicate human decision-making with task awareness, contextual memory, and autonomy, relieving support practitioners of any decision-making in a routine process.
Customers Still Want Human Connection in the AI Era
Despite optimism about AI, the research stresses the importance of the human touch in business-to-business relationships. A resounding 96% of respondents stated that maintaining human relationships remains vital when interacting with technology vendors. While agentic AI is expected to take over most standard support tasks, complex problem-solving and trust-building will still rely heavily on skilled human agents.
Cisco’s EVP and Chief Customer Experience Officer, Liz Centoni, noted, “We are closer than ever to solving long-standing customer service issues like network misconfiguration using agentic AI. But our vision is to make every experience both AI-driven and deeply human.”
Ethical Governance and Strategy Are Critical
As the technology matures, the focus is shifting toward ethical and secure deployment. Cisco found that 99% of decision-makers expect strong governance from vendors using agentic AI. Additionally, 81% said companies that communicate their AI vision will gain stronger customer trust and adoption.
Early adopters stand to benefit significantly, with improved IT efficiency, reduced costs, and deeper customer loyalty. On the other hand, vendors that delay AI integration risk losing customers, damaging their reputations, and falling behind competitors.
Conclusion
As AI continues to evolve, agentic AI is emerging as a game-changer in the customer service space. With 68% of interactions expected to be AI-led by 2028, organizations must act swiftly to integrate smart, scalable, and ethical AI systems. At the same time, businesses must preserve the human element to build lasting customer trust. As Cisco’s report shows, the future of customer experience will be not just automated—but agentic, adaptive, and deeply human.
About The Author
