Paul Turley, Senior Director Ireland at ServiceNow, discusses the role of AI in customer service and emphasises the importance of combining artificial intelligence (AI) with emotional intelligence (EQ)
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the landscape of customer service, but a fundamental challenge persists: fulfilling the consumer desire for both rapid service and authentic human understanding. While Gartner predicts generative AI adoption will soar to 80% this year, true success hinges on understanding the customer.
According to industry research, most (84%) of business leaders agree that consumers have higher expectations for service now than in the past. To close the gap between investment and impact, AI must enhance, not just automate, customer service.
As organisations race to implement AI in customer experience (CX), they’re at an inflection point. They can create strong and enduring relationships if customers enjoy AI support services. However, hard-earned brand loyalty is at risk if customers dislike these services. This means it is crucial to understand and cater to CX preferences, shaping truly customer-centric strategies.
The future of customer relationships = AI + EQ
Consumers no longer just want AI that gets the job done; they want AI that understands them, incorporating a level of emotional intelligence (EQ). This means that AI should be able to interpret and respond to human emotions, such as understanding when a customer is upset and responding appropriately.
As our annual Consumer Voice Report 2025 confirmed, people have long seen AI-powered chatbots as efficient but emotionless. In Ireland, more than two-thirds (68%) of consumers say they fail to understand emotional cues, often missing tone, urgency, or frustration. Still, expectations are evolving. In line with the broader Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region, 65% of consumers in Ireland believe AI will be able to detect emotions within the next 12 months.
Put simply, consumers expect AI to streamline interactions, anticipate their needs, and complement human agents. Companies that successfully integrate AI with human-driven customer service will not only improve efficiency but also deliver a more intuitive, empathetic, and seamless experience, building stronger and more trusted customer relationships.
High stakes, low trust: the AI trust gap
People embrace AI for its speed and convenience in low-stakes tasks, but in emotionally charged situations, they expect AI to work alongside humans, not replace them. As AI’s capabilities continue to expand, many people will reevaluate the trust they place in this technology, even for future use cases they cannot yet envision.
Some tasks will always require human oversight, and AI’s role is not to supplant human judgment but to support it in the right contexts. The next stage of adoption involves identifying those conditions while expanding the understanding of its potential, with a focus on governance, reliability, and risk management.
As the opportunities for AI grow, businesses have a crucial window to close the trust gap and position AI as a reliable tool, not just for today’s known applications but for the many possibilities ahead.
The customer paradox – what we value in humans, we criticise in AI (and vice versa)
Consumers want speed, yet will opt for human-led interaction. They want accuracy and seamless continuity, but will shy away from AI-led services. In short, what consumers want from their customer service does not align with their channel preferences, which creates a fundamental paradox.
However, regardless of the scenario, the key to resolving this contradiction lies in a proactive AI-powered service. The best customer service is invisible: no waiting, no repetition, no friction. Younger, on-demand consumers already anticipate this – for example, today’s buyers rarely visit in-store for device support. Where this was once commonplace, they now expect devices to update, troubleshoot, and fix issues before the user even notices.
By anticipating needs before they arise and offering solutions before a customer even has to ask, AI can power speed, accuracy, and continuity behind the scenes. To fully realise this potential, businesses must strike the right balance between AI-driven intelligence, human support, and seamless execution within a unified platform.
Choice matters, but execution is everything
Customers have multiple ways to interact with businesses, but execution, not just choice, defines their experience. It’s not just about the first impression, but also how well the service performs throughout. In essence, the quality of the service outweighs the quantity of choices.
A frustrating experience is not just short-term dissatisfaction; it is a turning point where businesses must regain trust or risk losing customers. To improve execution, they need smarter AI, responsive support, and seamless integration.
Regional differences shape preferences for chatbots, phone support, and in-person service. However, success ultimately depends on how effectively these options work together. Generational shifts also matter, with younger, on-demand consumers expecting instant, seamless service, which sets the future of customer relationships.
AI’s growing pains
Linking to the Gartner Hype Cycle, customers are being told of multi-million-dollar investments in customer experience, but they are not always feeling the difference.
Digging into this in more depth, one theme is clear: AI in customer service is not failing. It is evolving.
While people say AI has not yet met expectations, this shows an opportunity for businesses to refine AI, making it more adaptive, emotionally aware, and seamlessly integrated with human agents to deliver unparalleled customer relationships.
Consumers do not want less AI – they want AI that works smarter. By understanding the most significant pain points, companies can make AI a trusted ally rather than a frustrating barrier.
To learn more, read the ServiceNow Consumer Voice Report 2025.
About Paul Turley, ServiceNow Senior Director, Ireland Enterprise Sales
As leader of ServiceNow’s enterprise sales in Ireland, Paul and his team manage relationships with clients and partners across all industries and sectors on the island of Ireland. Paul has over 25 years of experience working in various large software businesses in Irish and international markets, including Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Micro Focus. After graduating from UCD with a degree in Engineering, Paul started his career working with Enterprise Ireland, helping Irish technology startups build routes to market across Scandinavia.
About ServiceNow
ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW) is putting AI to work for people. We move with the pace of innovation to help customers transform organisations across every industry while upholding a trustworthy, human centred approach to deploying our products and services at scale. Our AI platform for business transformation connects people, processes, data, and devices to increase productivity and maximize business outcomes.
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