AI agents surge in customer service as companies embrace technology

In 2025, Salesforce released a report highlighting the explosive growth of AI agents in customer service roles. The report revealed that since January of the same year, there has been a staggering growth in the utilization and deployment of these agents, with a compound annual growth rate of 2,199%. Companies have seen a 119% increase in the number of agents created or deployed, with actions carried out by these agents growing by 80% month-over-month. Moreover, conversations led by AI agents in customer service contexts increased 22-fold. The data indicates that sales, service, and internal operations are the main areas where AI agents are becoming prevalent. Travel and hospitality sectors notably recorded the highest growth at 133% month-over-month, followed closely by retail and finance industries. These trends reflect a significant shift in consumer preferences, as a large portion of customers now prefer interacting with AI agents rather than human representatives. This behavior is believed to stem from a desire for anonymity and reduced discomfort when discussing personal issues. The report also noted a 233% rise in global worker adoption of AI technologies since Fall 2024, indicating a marked transition towards a hybrid workforce. As AI agents grow more adept at handling various tasks, they are effectively becoming important enhancers of business operations. Consequently, the effectiveness of AI agents is leading to an increase in escalations from agent to human personnel, implying that AI systems are improving in recognizing scenarios that require human intervention. Overall, the insights from this report underscore the ongoing evolution and integration of AI agents in the business landscape, suggesting that their presence is crucial for future operations.