A new survey conducted by Replicant found that nearly 80% of consumers indicated they would prefer to speak with a virtual agent or machine to avoid long hold times. Moreover, 57% of consumers would speak with conversational AI even if the hold time was only five minutes. Beyond consumers' willingness to speak with AI, the survey found pervasive customer service problems, with 91% of consumers reporting they have experienced poor customer service in the past six months. Consumers say auto and home insurance companies have had the best customer service since the pandemic began, while cell phone and internet providers ranked the worst. Airlines, in the news for long hold times, came in second place for worst customer service overall since the pandemic began.

Not long ago, artificial intelligence (AI) seemed like part of some distant, cyborgian future. Now, everywhere you turn, AI is shaping the way we live. From algorithms that design our social media feeds to voice-activated technology ready to answer the most mundane of questions ("Hey Siri, what's the forecast for today?"), AI has crossed over from otherworldly to the here and now. AI can be a huge boon for marketers who have spent decades in the dark, wondering what tactics work and what doesn't when it comes to their marketing and customer service practices.