Last updated: September 2025
Curious about co-pilots for customer service? Below, we unpack what an AI co-pilot is, how it works, where it helps your agents most, and how to get started in your contact centre.
If you’ve got a smartphone or a laptop, chances are you've used an AI assistant already, like asking them to recommend a restaurant, book a meeting or create a summary from a lengthy Teams meeting.
In customer service, these AI assistants, also called AI copilots, are now helping agents resolve queries faster, reduce admin, and deliver more consistent customer support across channels. Pair a copilot with skilled humans and you get a powerful blend: automation that speeds up the work, with empathy and judgement where it matters.
Industry signals back this up:
As customer expectations for fast and seamless service continue to rise, AI assistants like co-pilots offer a way for contact centres to scale support without compromising quality.
But what exactly is a co-pilot, how does it work, and how can it benefit your contact centre? This guide will walk you through everything you need to know.
Definition AI co-pilot
An AI co-pilot is an AI assistant (often a virtual assistant) embedded in your tools and data that helps you perform tasks in real time, surfacing answers, suggesting next steps, drafting replies and summaries, using generative AI and natural language processing. Like the name suggests, it works alongside a human, providing guidance, surfacing information, and automating repetitive tasks so humans can focus on higher-value work.
From a technology perspective, AI co-pilots bring together natural language processing (NLP) to understand text or speech, machine learning (ML) to improve accuracy over time, and generative AI (large language models, or LLMs) to draft responses, summaries, and suggestions. Many also use retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to ground their answers in approved sources like documents, policies, or knowledge bases, ensuring accuracy and compliance.
Most of us already use some form of co-pilots in our everyday life. Some examples include:
In each of these examples, the AI doesn’t replace the person, it supports them. It handles the repetitive, time-consuming parts, leaving people with more time to focus on creative thinking, decision-making, and meaningful interactions.
So, in the world of customer service, what role does these AI-powered assistants have?
In a contact centre, an AI co-pilot is tailored to the needs of customer service teams. Instead of generating code or writing marketing copy, it focuses on assisting agents during live customer interactions.
That means an AI co-pilot for customer service can:
Think of it as giving every agent their own smart assistant. Instead of switching between systems, searching multiple tabs, and typing up notes after every call, agents can rely on the co-pilot to do the heavy lifting, while they stay focused on the customer.
Other terms you might hear include Agent Assist, AI assistant for agents, or even contact centre co-pilot. They all point to the same idea: AI supporting agents in real time.
So, how does it work and what technologies does it use?
An AI co-pilot is powered by a mix of artificial intelligence technologies that work together to understand human input, retrieve relevant information, and provide real-time assistance. While the exact setup depends on the use case (software development, productivity tools, customer service, etc.), most copilots rely on:
In simple terms, a co-pilot listens, understands, finds the right information, and presents it back in a way that’s useful—while always keeping the human in control.
👉 Relevant read: AI glossary for customer experience
It’s easy to confuse AI copilots with other automation tools like chatbots, scripts, or IVR menus. On the surface, they all aim to make work faster and reduce repetitive tasks. But the difference lies in flexibility, intelligence, and purpose.
This distinction matters in a contact centre: chatbots help manage incoming demand, while copilots support the customer service agents handling the more complex, high-value conversations.
👉 Relevant read: What is a chatbot?
AI powered solutions are here to stay. For contact centres, that means embracing tools that deliver real efficiency gains, measurable improvements in customer service quality, and a better experience for agents.
An AI co-pilot (or copilot) is one of the most practical ways to get there. Acting as an AI assistant embedded in daily workflows, it gives agents real-time support, reduces repetitive admin, and helps teams deliver faster, more consistent customer support across every channel.
The rise of AI co-pilots is being driven by three big shifts:
For contact centres, this translates into shorter calls, faster wrap-up, higher FCR, and better agent well-being, all while keeping the human touch at the heart of customer conversations.
Getting started with an AI co-pilot doesn’t have to be overwhelming. A step-by-step approach helps:
We’re only at the beginning of what AI copilots can do for customer service and contact centres. As technologies like generative AI and natural language processing continue to mature, copilots will move from being helpful assistants to becoming essential teammates for agents.
Here are some trends shaping the future of AI copilots in customer service:
Industry analysts predict rapid adoption. Deloitte forecasts that by 2027, 50% of enterprises using generative AI will deploy agent-assist tools like copilots. McKinsey already highlights measurable results: reduced handling times, higher resolution rates, and lower attrition when copilots are in place.
AI copilots aren’t just another buzzword in tech but they’re becoming a practical, everyday tool for contact centres. By combining automation, natural language processing, and generative AI, these AI assistants give agents the real-time support they need to handle calls, chats, and messages more efficiently.
The result? Less admin, fewer repetitive tasks, and more time for agents to focus on what truly matters, building trust and delivering better customer experiences.
For CX leaders, adopting an AI copilot in customer service is a way to balance cost efficiency with quality service. It helps improve KPIs like AHT, ACW, and FCR while also reducing stress for agents and boosting satisfaction for customers.
Think of it as moving towards a smarter, hybrid model: AI copilots handle the heavy lifting in the background, while human agents bring empathy, judgement, and personal connection to every interaction. Together, they create faster, more consistent, and more meaningful customer support.
If you’re exploring where to start, begin small - test copilots in one queue, measure the results, and scale up. The contact centres that act now will be the ones best equipped to meet rising expectations tomorrow.
👉 Curious about how this works in practice? Explore Puzzel’s Co-Pilot here and see how it can support your agents in delivering better service every day.