Let’s discuss something unexpected: how rogue AIs are being used in customer service. You’d think agents would only use AI tools that the company approves of to do their jobs. Well, not always. Here comes “shadow AI” – those unauthorized tools that agents turn to when the official ones don’t cut it. And yeah, it’s becoming a problem.

People are using unapproved AI tools 250% more than last year. Here’s the context. It's not just a small compliance mess up. When agents go off script with shadow AI, customer data security suffers, trust diminishes and service quality fails. They work away from the company’s control, creating the potential for data breaches, inconsistency of customer interactions and chaos.

The fallout? It’s not pretty. When you lose customer trust, you throw your brand's reputation away. Throw in potential fines and the steady churn of frustrated customers taking their business elsewhere, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.

But the real issue is whether we ban and discourage an agent for being resourceful, or lean into that innovation and find ways to empower them?

Instead of shutting it down, companies should look at why agents are turning to these tools in the first place. Are the approved solutions falling short? What unmet needs are shadow AI filling?

The path forward isn’t about punishment; it’s about partnership. Get your agents trained, provide them with relevant tools, and facilitate a culture that embraces innovation within secure and compliant boundaries. If you do things right, this would not just limit shadow AI, but enable your teams to get stronger while improving your service – like never before.

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