Quick summary

Support teams face mounting pressure to deliver fast, accurate service across voice and chat. This article compares 7 leading AI agents designed to automate routine inquiries, reduce wait times, and free human agents for complex issues. You'll learn the core features, strengths, and limitations of each platform, including Replicant, which leads in voice and chat automation with proven results across enterprise contact centers.

Looking for the best AI agent for customer support?

Customer expectations continue to climb. According to recent industry data, 40% of contact centers report increased demand for 24/7 availability, while 36% say customers expect more personalization and speed. Support teams can't keep up by hiring alone, especially with agent turnover rates hovering between 30% and 45% annually.

AI agents offer a practical solution. They answer questions, resolve simple issues, and handle routine tasks without human involvement. The result is faster response times, lower workloads, and consistent service across every channel.

This article compares the top AI agents for customer support. You'll see their strengths, limitations, and best-fit use cases. Replicant stands out for teams that need reliable automation across voice and chat, backed by hands-on partnership and measurable outcomes.

Why listen to us?

Replicant automates customer conversations across voice and chat with AI agents that resolve issues end-to-end. Our platform improves speed, reduces agent workloads, and raises customer satisfaction. With over 1 billion agent minutes automated, we've helped enterprise contact centers achieve real, measurable results. Teams trust us because we combine technology with proven playbooks and ongoing partnership through Replicare, our white-glove service model.

What are AI agents?

AI agents are automated systems that understand customer questions and take action across voice or chat. They use natural language processing and real-time decision-making to resolve routine tasks without human involvement. Common functions include answering FAQs, updating accounts, call routing, appointment scheduling, and handling basic troubleshooting. These AI voicebots help support teams scale without increasing headcount. They work alongside human agents, handling high-volume interactions so teams can focus on issues that require empathy and creativity.

Why consider AI agents?

AI agents deliver measurable benefits in terms of contact center efficiency, particularly for those managing high volumes and tight budgets.

Faster response times: AI agents answer routine questions instantly, reducing queues and improving customer satisfaction. Customers get the help they need without waiting on hold. CorVel deployed Replicant’s AI agents to handle First Notice of Loss (FNOL) workflows and saw a 50% decrease in handle time as a result. 

Lower agent workload: They handle repetitive tasks like high volume FAQs, account checks, and basic troubleshooting. Human agents can focus on complex issues that require judgment and empathy.

24/7 availability: AI agents provide nonstop support across voice and chat without requiring extra staffing. Customers get consistent service at any hour, including nights and weekends.

Scalability during peak demand: They manage large spikes in inquiries without slowing down or affecting service quality. Contact centers can handle seasonal surges or unexpected volume without scrambling for extra coverage. 

“Seasonal hiring used to be a massive effort that consumed the entire summer,” said Chris Alston, Solutions Architect at Bulwark Pest Control. “Bringing on Replicant has reduced the need so significantly that now you hardly ever hear about it.”

Consistency across channels: AI agents deliver the same accurate information across chat, voice, and messaging apps. Customers receive uniform service no matter how they reach out.

Cost efficiency: They reduce the need for constant hiring, training, and overtime during busy periods. Teams can reallocate budget toward strategic initiatives instead of chasing capacity.

7 best AI agents for customer support

1. Replicant

Replicant automates high-volume customer conversations across voice and chat with AI agents that resolve issues end-to-end. Built for enterprise contact centers, it handles complex, multi-turn conversations that go well beyond basic FAQs. The platform integrates with business systems to take action, verify information, and complete tasks without human involvement. What’s more, Replicant’s AI agents are trained on how your best agents, on their best day, handle customer interactions.

Key Features:

Hyper-realistic voice: Low-latency, human-like voices that feel natural and conversational. Dynamic tone and pace adjust based on context.

End-to-end resolution: Handles complex workflows like authentication, billing, and account updates. Goes beyond deflection to actually solve customer problems.

Built-in quality assurance: Every conversation is automatically scored and flagged for issues. Recommendations help optimize AI agents over time.

Conversation Intelligence: Analyzes 100% of calls to surface insights, coach agents, and identify automation opportunities.

Replicare partnership: Full-service support including conversation design, new use-case builds, and continuous optimization. No SOWs or surprise charges.

Pricing: Resolution-based pricing. You only pay when conversations are successfully resolved. Transparent, auditable billing ensures clear ROI.

Pros:

• Proven across voice and chat with 1B+ agent minutes automated
• Enterprise-grade reliability with built-in redundancy and safeguards
• White-glove service handles ongoing optimization
• Clear ROI with resolution-based pricing
• Integrates with existing business systems

Cons:

• Best fit for enterprise teams with high-volume use cases

2. Lindy

Lindy provides workflow automation that helps teams handle repetitive tasks across multiple tools. It's designed for teams that want to automate processes beyond customer support, including internal workflows and data entry.

Key Features:

Workflow automation: Connects apps and automates multi-step processes. Reduces manual work across different systems.

Task management: Assigns and tracks tasks automatically based on triggers. Keeps teams aligned without manual updates.

Custom integrations: Works with popular business tools. Flexible setup for different team needs.

Simple interface: No-code builder makes it easy to create and adjust workflows. Teams can launch automation without technical expertise.

Pricing: Per-task pricing based on usage volume. Costs scale with automation needs.

Pros:

• Easy to set up and manage
• Works well for internal process automation
• Flexible integrations with business tools
• No-code interface

Cons:

• Limited voice support
• Better for workflows than customer conversations

3. Dialogflow

Dialogflow offers a platform for building custom voice and chat bots. It's designed for teams with technical resources who want full control over bot design and functionality.

Key Features:

Custom bot builder: Create bots tailored to specific use cases. Full control over conversation flow and logic.

Natural language processing: Understands customer intent across different phrasings. Handles variations in how questions are asked.

Multi-channel support: Deploys bots across voice, chat, and messaging apps. Single build works across channels.

Analytics dashboard: Tracks bot performance and identifies improvement areas. Helps teams refine conversations over time.

Pricing: Usage-based pricing tied to API calls and conversation volume.

Pros:

• Highly customizable
• Strong NLP capabilities
• Works across voice and chat
• Backed by Google infrastructure

Cons:

• Requires technical expertise to build and maintain
• Self-service model means teams handle optimization alone

4. Kustomer AI

Kustomer AI integrates AI-powered support directly into its CRM platform. It's built for teams that want automation tied closely to customer data and history.

Key Features:

CRM integration: AI agents access full customer context. Responses are informed by purchase history and past interactions.

Automated routing: Directs inquiries to the right team or resource. Reduces time spent sorting requests manually.

Chatbot builder: Create chat experiences that pull from customer data. Personalize responses based on user information.

Knowledge base: AI suggests articles and resources to customers. Reduces repetitive questions for human agents.

Pricing: Per-user pricing based on team size and features.

Pros:

• Deep CRM integration
• Strong for teams already using Kustomer
• Personalized responses based on customer data
• Good for managing customer relationships

Cons:

• Chat-only, no voice support
• Best fit for existing Kustomer customers

5. Zendesk

Zendesk provides an all-in-one helpdesk with AI-powered chat features. It's designed for teams that want support tools bundled with ticketing and knowledge management.

Key Features:

AI chatbot: Handles basic inquiries and routes complex issues. Works within the Zendesk ecosystem.

Ticket automation: Categorizes and prioritizes tickets automatically. Reduces manual sorting for support teams.

Knowledge base: Self-service articles help customers find answers. AI suggests relevant content during conversations.

Multi-channel inbox: Manages inquiries from email, chat, and social media in one place. Centralized view of all customer interactions.

Pricing: Per-agent pricing with tiered feature access.

Pros:

• Familiar platform for many teams
• Good for small to mid-sized support teams
• Includes ticketing and knowledge management
• Easy to get started

Cons:

• Limited voice capabilities
• AI features less advanced than specialized platforms

6. Forethought

Forethought automates support ticket handling with AI that predicts customer intent and suggests responses. It's designed for teams managing high ticket volumes through email and chat.

Key Features:

Intent prediction: Analyzes tickets to understand what customers need. Routes issues to the right team or suggests automation.

Auto-response: Generates draft responses for agents to review. Speeds up ticket resolution time.

Workflow automation: Handles repetitive ticket actions like tagging and categorizing. Reduces manual effort for support teams.

Performance analytics: Tracks automation impact on ticket volume and resolution time. Helps teams measure ROI.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on ticket volume and features.

Pros:

• Strong for ticket-heavy support teams
• Speeds up response times
• Good analytics and reporting
• Helps agents work more efficiently

Cons:

• Chat-only, no voice support
• Requires integration with existing helpdesk

7. Thankful AI

Thankful AI specializes in e-commerce customer support with AI agents designed for order tracking, returns, and product questions. It's built for retail brands managing high volumes of repetitive inquiries.

Key Features:

E-commerce focus: Pre-built for common retail use cases. Handles order status, returns, and shipping questions.

Multi-channel chat: Works across website chat, email, and messaging apps. Consistent experience across channels.

Order management: Integrates with e-commerce platforms to pull order data. Provides real-time updates to customers.

Escalation rules: Routes complex issues to human agents with full context. Smooth human handoff when customers need help.

Pricing: Custom pricing based on conversation volume.

Pros:

• Built specifically for e-commerce
• Fast setup for retail brands
• Good at handling order-related inquiries
• Reduces repetitive questions for agents

Cons:

• Chat-only, no voice support
• Limited use outside retail industry

Improve your customer support with Replicant

Choosing the right AI agent depends on your team's needs, channels, and goals. The platforms covered here offer different strengths, from workflow automation to CRM integration to e-commerce specialization.

AI agents reduce workload, improve response times, and provide consistent support across voice and chat. They help teams scale without constant hiring and handle peak demand without affecting service quality. The key is finding a solution that resolves customer issues, not just deflects them.

Replicant automates high-volume conversations across voice and chat with AI agents built for enterprise contact centers. Our platform improves speed, accuracy, and consistency while reducing costs. We train AI agents based on how your top performers actually resolve customer requests and provide you with enterprise-grade scale. With Replicare, you get hands-on partnership that includes conversation design, new use-case builds, and continuous optimization. Teams achieve measurable outcomes without shifting focus from their core mission.

Resolution-based pricing means you only pay when conversations are successfully resolved. Every resolution is tracked and verified, giving you full visibility into performance and ROI. Contact centers trust Replicant because we combine technology with proven playbooks and ongoing support.

FAQ

What are AI agents for customer support?

AI agents are automated systems that handle customer conversations across voice and chat. They use natural language processing to understand questions, take actions like retrieving account information or routing requests, and resolve routine issues without human involvement, helping support teams scale faster.

What should I look for in an AI agent for customer support?

Key factors include channel coverage (voice and chat), ability to resolve issues end to end, integration with your existing systems, quality assurance capabilities, and how well the AI hands off to human agents when needed. The best AI agents go beyond deflection and focus on true resolution.

Are AI agents better for voice support or chat support?

Some AI agents specialize in chat, while others support both voice and chat. Chat-only tools work well for ticket deflection, but voice-capable AI agents are essential for call-heavy contact centers. Teams should choose based on where the majority of their support volume comes from.

How do AI agents work alongside human support teams?

AI agents handle high-volume, repetitive requests so human agents can focus on complex, sensitive, or high-value interactions. When escalation is needed, the AI passes full context to the agent, improving resolution speed and customer experience rather than replacing human support.

Explore our blog to learn how Replicant can improve customer experience across every channel. 

Request a demo to learn how teams like yours are using AI to resolve more conversations with less effort.