This weekly update brings you the latest news about artificial intelligence and customer service from around the world. Read on to learn how companies are using smart robots to help customers better.

Oracle Introduces AI Agents Into Customer Service Software

On February 10, 2026, Oracle, a large American technology company, announced exciting new AI agents—smart computer helpers—inside their popular cloud software. These AI agents are built right into the software that companies use for customer service, sales, and marketing. The new AI helpers analyze all the customer information a company has and automatically do tasks that would normally take human workers hours to finish. Best of all, these AI agents don't cost extra money—they come free with the software. Chris Leone, a leader at Oracle, explained that these helpers turn slow, old-fashioned customer service into fast, smart processes that make more money for companies. The AI agents also help workers understand their customers better by looking at information from all the different parts of a business.

AI Customer Service Will Grow, But Not Overnight

Experts who study technology trends say that 2026 will not be the year when AI takes over all customer service overnight. Many people predicted that this year would bring autonomous agents—completely automatic AI that runs everything by itself—but the real story is quieter and more interesting. According to experts speaking on The Experience Edge Podcast on February 11, 2026, most customer service teams will have multiple AI agents helping them with different tasks, but almost no company will be completely automatic. This means teams still need people making important decisions. Something else is changing too: companies are starting to care more about making sure their AI is trustworthy and knowing who is responsible when AI makes a mistake. The push to be super fast and flashy is slowing down, and companies are digging deeper into smart, steady improvements.

Companies Are Finally Connecting AI to Business Results

New research shows that 80 percent of customer service organizations around the world plan to use generative AI—a special type of smart AI that writes and talks like humans—to help their workers do more in their jobs by the end of 2025. But here's a big problem: 70 percent of companies don't connect their customer service information to how much money they make. This makes it hard for leaders to know if their AI investments are actually helping the business. Companies that figure out how to connect these dots will get a competitive advantage over others. The research also shows that 71 percent of customers want services customized just for them, but 76 percent get frustrated when companies don't do it. Even worse, only 15 percent of marketing leaders think their company is actually good at personalization.

Customers Still Want Real People for Important Problems

While AI is getting smarter, customers still want human help for many situations. When a real person helps through live chat, customers give it a 87 percent satisfaction rating, which is very high. However, only about half of customers say they're willing to use AI assistants for help. This tells companies something important: they can't just replace all their human workers with robots. Instead, smart companies are building systems where AI handles simple questions quickly—like tracking an order or answering a frequently asked question—while human workers take over when something is complex, emotional, or when a customer asks to talk to a person.

The Future of Customer Service: AI and Humans Working Together

Exciting news about the future of shopping is also happening. OpenAI, the company that makes ChatGPT, created something called Instant Checkout that lets people buy things without leaving ChatGPT. This could create a whole new way for people to shop. Some experts think this could lead to one trillion dollars in sales from AI-powered shopping by 2030, though it might take longer than people think. The takeaway for companies is clear: the best customer service in 2026 isn't about choosing between AI or people—it's about using both together smartly. Companies should use AI to work faster and handle routine tasks, but always keep easy ways for customers to reach real humans when they need help. The companies that get this balance right will make happier customers and more money.