Scott Russell on AI in customer service
From NiCE CEO Scott Russell: 80% of Customer Service Will Be AI & What Actually Happens Next · · CX Foundation
“You can speculate that today AI agents handle only around 3–5% of interactions, but we believe AI can ultimately deliver up to 80% of customer‑service interactions, with the last 20% remaining human‑in‑the‑loop for complex or emotional scenarios.”
On , Scott Russell, CEO at NICE Ltd, spoke about AI in customer service during NiCE CEO Scott Russell: 80% of Customer Service Will Be AI & What Actually Happens Next on CX Foundation.
About Scott Russell
In a March 2026 interview, Scott Russell, CEO of NICE, discussed the company's vision for AI in customer service. He stated that while AI agents currently handle only 3–5% of interactions, NICE believes AI can ultimately manage up to 80% of customer-service interactions, with the remaining 20% involving human oversight for complex or emotional scenarios. Russell emphasized that NICE's approach is "AI-first, not AI-only," aiming to provide a platform that allows customers to shift between AI and human support at their own pace. Russell also addressed the concept of a "SaaS apocalypse," noting that investors are questioning the durable revenue models and terminal value of SaaS companies for the first time in 25 years. He reiterated his previous assertion that "speed is a choice" in enterprise AI, advocating for deliberate rather than reckless adoption. Russell described NICE's goal as becoming the "digital front door" for enterprises, orchestrating voice, digital, and AI interactions seamlessly.