Match human involvement to the moment
Set human involvement according to what the customer needs in the moment, not how much the technology can automate. Consider whether empathy would help, whether a straightforward transaction would be more comfortable, and where human accountability matters most.
Klarna tried clearly non-human AI for missed-payment follow-ups, without small talk or simulated empathy. Customers had a better experience than when a person called because the machine removed the embarrassment of being chased by another person. Telstra drew a different boundary: AI handles broadband issues, but a person always handles requests to cancel a deceased partner's phone contract.
Make those boundaries explicit brand decisions, with leadership commitment rather than leaving them solely to technical implementation. Preserve genuine human interaction at moments of friction or frustration, and make access to people part of the experience. A 2026 Gartner finding reported that 87% of B2B and B2C customers say companies using GenAI for customer service must provide an option to reach a human agent.
Sources: The Prompt: Are your brand guidelines ready to deliver behaviour?, The Prompt: Why brand matters more than ever in an AI world