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In just two years, customer service and the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in customer relations have undergone profound changes both technologically and in the way users perceive them. Studies conducted* by Odoxa for Kiamo and DialOnce in 2023 and again in 2025 provide a clear overview of how expectations, perceptions, and usage of AI in customer service have evolved. Let’s explore the key developments observed and what they mean for the future of customer relations.
Since 2023, the perception of AI in customer service has been steadily shifting. While some caution remains, more and more French consumers are recognizing the tangible benefits of these tools, especially when it comes to quickly handling simple requests. Young adults, residents of the Paris region, and professionals are particularly receptive. They value speed, availability, and ease of access, while still wanting the option to speak with a human advisor for more complex issues.
At the same time, AI adoption among companies has seen a sharp rise. According to Capgemini, Litslink, and YeldaAI, the percentage of businesses that have integrated AI agents into their customer service jumped from 10% in 2023 to 85% in 2025. By the end of the year, AI chatbots are expected to handle 85% of all customer interactions on their own.
This gradual shift represents a major opportunity for companies: the chance to build more seamless and personalized customer experiences by leveraging the power of technology while staying aligned with customer expectations. This is a pivotal moment. It urges organizations to innovate with balance combining the strengths of AI with the added value of human contact. More than ever, a well-managed hybrid approach between AI and human advisors stands out as a key driver of continuous improvement in customer relations.
The 2023 and 2025 barometers show a generally stable perception of customer relations, with a slight increase in the number of French people feeling well treated (56% in 2023 vs. 57% in 2025). However, this stability masks differences based on age, social-professional category, and place of residence. Young adults, professionals, and residents of large cities report a more positive experience, indicating growing alignment between customer journeys and their specific expectations.
Among key areas for improvement, waiting time remains a major issue, mentioned by 60% of respondents. This highlights the opportunity to optimize digital tools to streamline access to services. On the other hand, extended customer service hours are seen as a strong point.
While improvements are still gradual, they point to clear user expectations: a faster, more transparent, and more personalized customer experience. These priorities offer strong levers to improve customer satisfaction in the years ahead.
Despite the growing integration of AI in customer service, user trust remains largely focused on human interactions. In 2025, 72% of French consumers say they trust phone advisors a slight increase from 70% in 2023. This level of trust underscores a continued appreciation for personalization, active listening, and effective issue resolution.
At the same time, chatbots and AI agents are gradually gaining ground. Their trust rating rose from 27% to 29% between 2023 and 2025. While still limited in managing complex issues, they are increasingly recognized for their ability to efficiently handle simple, recurring requests. This progress paves the way for smoother customer journeys and better human-AI complementarity.
These trends highlight the value of a hybrid model, where automation takes care of standard queries, while human agents remain essential for sensitive or complex cases. By refining the orchestration of customer journeys, companies can build greater trust and sustainably enhance the customer experience.
Between 2023 and 2025, perceptions of artificial intelligence in customer service have shifted positively. In 2023, 72% of French people believed that AI diminished the quality of customer relations. By 2025, that number had dropped slightly to 68%, reflecting a move toward a more nuanced view: AI is no longer seen solely as a threat, but increasingly as a tool for improvement when used wisely.
This change is driven by several positive dynamics. First, the French are becoming more familiar with AI in their daily lives, which helps them better understand how it works. Secondly, companies are integrating these tools, including mailbots, voicebots, Augmented advisor agents, visual IVRs, and other AI agents more strategically. These tools are assigned to handle simpler tasks, while human support is preserved for more complex requests. Moreover, AI is increasingly used in the workplace, especially among professionals, which reinforces its legitimacy and further familiarizes users with it.
Gradually, the French are embracing a more balanced view of AI. In customer service, it is more and more seen as a valuable ally, one that saves time and enhances service quality. Far from replacing humans, AI complements, streamlines, and elevates their work, transforming advisors into tech-augmented professionals. These tools provide real-time analytics, personalized suggestions, and contextual insights that support smarter, faster, and more accurate responses.
Chatbots and automated conversational agents have now taken a central role in the customer journey. Between 2023 and 2025, their satisfaction rate rose from 29% to 31%, indicating a gradually improving perception.
The hybrid model, combining artificial intelligence with human support is also gaining clarity and effectiveness. Nearly 56% of respondents believe these tools could soon match the effectiveness of human advisors for certain targeted tasks.
Technical advancements, such as improved data quality, better scenario design, more precise response capabilities, and greater reliability, are accelerating this momentum. The role of chatbots and AI agents is evolving: they are no longer just tools for automation but are becoming gateways to more responsive, better-orchestrated customer service, effectively blending the strengths of digital efficiency with the human touch.
Young adults and professionals already more satisfied with customer service are also those who place the most trust in AI tools. This alignment between perception and usage offers companies a chance to test enriched customer journeys with these early adopters before rolling them out to a broader audience.
Those under 35, familiar with digital tools and conversational interfaces, show high tolerance: in 2025, 52% of 18–24 year-olds report being satisfied with interactions involving chatbots and AI agents, compared to just 10% of people over 65. Professionals and city dwellers, also accustomed to digital environments, see AI as a tool for efficiency, provided it is well integrated.
More cautious audiences such as seniors or people living in rural areas, have specific expectations when it comes to digital tools. Their limited use of such tools and preference for human contact highlight the need for personalized support. This presents an opportunity for companies to develop more inclusive and reassuring hybrid experiences tailored to different user habits and comfort levels.
This generational and territorial contrast is a real opportunity: by first testing innovations with the most receptive users, businesses can gradually adapt them to others. This requires rethinking customer journeys and strengthening support mechanisms, with a focus that is as much educational as it is technological. The goal: to make AI an inclusive tool that supports a seamless and human-centered customer experience.
The findings from the 2023–2025 barometers reveal that AI-based tools alone cannot fully meet user expectations. Given the diversity of user profiles, needs, and levels of digital literacy, a hybrid strategy is essential. This means thoughtfully combining automated technologies (chatbots, mailbots, visual IVRs...) with human availability.
The goal is twofold: to leverage automation for greater efficiency in handling simple requests, while maintaining a human presence for more sensitive or complex situations. This blended approach presents a real opportunity to enhance the customer experience, provided it relies on a few key pillars:
In other words, AI is not meant to replace humans, but to complement them. The companies that succeed will be those who understand that the quality of customer service depends above all on the ability to deliver journeys tailored to each user, combining smart automation with the reassuring presence of human support.
The evolution between 2023 and 2025 does not reflect a rupture, but rather a gradual transformation. The French are slowly recognizing the benefits of AI in customer service, while remaining strongly attached to human interaction. For businesses, the main challenge is now relational: integrating AI smoothly, without dehumanizing the experience.
In the short term, chatbots and conversational AI agents are expected to become the first point of contact, with seamless handoffs to human advisors when needed. In the medium term, generative AI will be able to handle more complex requests, provided it operates under clear rules and human oversight.
In the long term, public acceptance will be key. While younger generations readily adopt these tools, less tech-savvy users will require support to prevent a digital usage divide.
The most likely scenario remains that of a complementary duo: AI handling simple, frequent tasks, while human agents ensure relationship quality and manage sensitive situations.
*Survey conducted online on May 21 and 22, 2025, with a representative sample of 1,005 French residents aged 18 and over, using the quota method (gender, age, education level, occupation).
