What is an AI copilot and how is it enhancing customer experience?

The AI copilot is changing the way support teams work. Instead of replacing humans, it works alongside them, like a second brain that’s always switched on. The promise? Faster service, sharper responses, and less time spent hunting for answers.

But you need to know where and how to use it well. Keith McIntosh, Senior Principal in Gartner’s customer service and support practice, says “Once customers exhaust self-service options, they’re ready to reach out to an agent.”^[1] That’s where AI copilots must step up. They need to show they’re a bridge to faster, better support.

What is an AI copilot?

An AI copilot is an intelligent assistant that works alongside you rather than replacing you. Unlike traditional chatbots that handle customer queries independently, an AI copilot acts as a partner for your support team. It reviews incoming tickets, offers suggestions, and helps automate routine tasks while keeping a human in the loop.

The key difference from a regular AI chatbot is that a copilot doesn’t operate in isolation. Instead of trying to answer every question, it supports agents by providing timely insights and recommendations, making it easier for you to deliver faster, more accurate, and more personalized responses.

It’s not enough to fix the immediate problem when an incident occurs. You also need post-incident reports capturing what happened and how it was resolved. They serve as blueprints for preventing future incidents. However, manually combing through Slack or Teams logs and writing these reports is time-consuming.

In such cases, the agent can rely on the AI Copilot to pull conversation logs, link related incidents, and automatically compile a post-incident report. The AI analyzes discussions from Slack and Teams, identifies the key points of failure, and generates a structured summary covering what happened, who was affected, and how it got resolved. This level of detail helps your team build more resilient incident response strategies so you’re better prepared when the next issue arises.

How does an AI copilot work?

When your customer reaches out, every second counts. AI copilots use smart technologies working behind the scenes to ensure your agents quickly find the right answers without delays or guesswork. Here’s how it happens:

Generative AI and NLP at the core

Generative AI models (like GPT) and natural language processing (NLP) help copilots understand exactly what a customer is asking. NLP helps the AI break down and interpret customer language, while generative AI crafts human replies. If a customer asks a billing question in their own words, NLP helps your copilot instantly recognize the issue, while generative AI drafts a clear, helpful response.

Machine learning and knowledge integration

AI copilots learn from every interaction. Machine learning algorithms help them improve their responses by studying historical customer queries and support tickets. They also integrate directly with your internal knowledge bases and CRM systems. For instance, if a customer previously had a billing issue, the copilot remembers and uses that context to recommend faster and more accurate answers the next time around.

Context-aware customer service

What makes an AI copilot different is its ability to keep track of context. If a returning customer mentions a past billing problem, your copilot immediately recognizes them and surfaces their previous interactions. This gives your agent the full backstory instantly, creating a more personalized and thoughtful customer experience.

Real-time support behind the scenes

Everything happens instantly as conversations unfold. As your agent chats with a customer, the AI copilot quickly parses messages, fetches solutions, and suggests the next steps in seconds. It’s like having a co-pilot sitting next to your agent, always ready to step in with suggestions.

Real-world applications of AI copilots in customer service

AI copilots aren’t just theoretical. They’re changing how customer service teams work right now. Freshdesk, an AI-powered solution, offers Freddy AI Copilot to help businesses solve common support challenges daily. Here's how:

1. Instant information retrieval and multilingual support

What if a customer sends a ticket in Spanish, but your support agent only speaks English? Freddy AI Copilot instantly translates the query into English, helps the agent understand the problem, and drafts a response back in Spanish.

Freddy's AI-driven multilingual capability lets your team effortlessly handle customers in different languages. On top of translations, it quickly pulls up relevant information, product specs, past tickets, or customer history so your agents don’t waste time searching.

2. Real-time response suggestions and autocomplete

When a customer asks about refunds or cancellations, Freddy AI Copilot immediately suggests a clear, polite response based on your policies. It even auto-completes sentences as your agent types, speeding up replies and reducing typing errors. New agents especially benefit from Freddy's AI-generated suggestions, as they quickly gain confidence and learn how to handle common inquiries.

3. Tone and sentiment guidance

The right tone can turn a frustrated customer into a satisfied one. If a customer’s message shows signs of frustration, Freddy AI Copilot nudges your agent to respond with empathy. It might suggest phrases to soften the tone or gently rephrase overly direct replies. For example, suppose an agent types something that sounds too formal or abrupt. In that case, Freddy offers a feature to enhance the tone or change it to professional/friendly to keep the conversation positive.

4. Multi-channel support: chat, email, and voice

AI copilots are versatile. On a live call, Freddy AI Copilot can listen, transcribe key points, and suggest articles or resources in real-time. For email inquiries, it can summarize lengthy email threads or even draft complete replies, ready for your agent to approve.

On social media, Freddy AI Copilot helps classify queries, ensuring customers get fast responses regardless of how they contact you. Having an AI partner means your agents can consistently deliver accurate service across every channel.

5. Automated summaries and after-call work

After each interaction, your agents usually spend time writing summaries, logging ticket details, or updating records. Freddy AI Copilot takes care of all these admin functions automatically. Once a call or chat ends, Freddy quickly creates a clear summary, records customer sentiments, and notes the next steps. Agents can move directly to the next customer without worrying about tedious paperwork while you still have thorough, accurate records for future reference.

How AI copilots improve customer experience and agent performance

Adding an AI copilot doesn’t just help your agents. It also enhances the way your customers experience support. Here’s how your team and customers both benefit:

1. Faster responses, shorter wait times

Customers hate waiting. AI copilots instantly provide agents with relevant answers and quick-response suggestions. Agents can reply within seconds instead of customers waiting minutes or even longer for an answer. For example, simple refund questions no longer sit in queues. They’re resolved quickly because the AI already suggests an accurate response.

2. Consistent, accurate information

With AI copilots, your agents always have the latest product info, policies, and solutions handy. The AI pulls from a single, updated source of truth, your company’s knowledge base, and past tickets. This means customers receive accurate and reliable information every time, reducing confusion and building trust in your brand.

3. Personalized service, even at scale

An AI copilot helps your agents remember each customer, even if there are thousands. It quickly shows previous interactions or purchases right when needed. Imagine a returning customer contacting you about a product issue; the AI immediately reminds your agent of their last purchase and previous problem. Customers appreciate being remembered, and your support feels more personal and thoughtful.

4. Around-the-clock customer care

AI copilots don't get tired. They offer consistent, accurate support day and night. This means even a small team can provide reliable, 24/7 customer service. For instance, if you're a small business owner without resources for a large overnight team, an AI copilot can support your agents during busy after-hours periods, keeping response times fast and quality high.

5. Happier, more productive agents

Your team benefits too. Copilots handle repetitive tasks like fetching details or drafting standard replies so agents don’t get bogged down in routine work. With less manual work, agents focus on complex customer interactions, boosting job satisfaction and lowering stress, especially when studies suggest 59% of agents are at risk of burnout. This leads to less burnout and higher employee retention, both crucial for small teams juggling high ticket volumes.

Challenges and limitations of using AI copilots

While AI copilots offer plenty of benefits, you must also know the limitations. Here’s a quick look at common challenges and practical ways to overcome them:

How AI copilots are shaping the future of customer service

AI copilots are becoming essential tools in customer service. They’re not just improving service but reshaping what customers expect from companies. Here are some trends that highlight how the role of AI copilots will evolve:

Autonomous AI resolution for routine tasks

Gartner predicts that by 2029, agentic AI—AI that takes actions independently—will resolve up to 80% of common customer service issues without needing human help. This level of automation could cut your operational costs by nearly 30%. Your support teams with copilots can then focus their energy on solving more complicated issues that need a human touch, leaving routine tasks entirely to AI copilots.

Personalized customer experiences at scale

Customers today expect personalization, and AI copilots make this possible at scale. Gartner identifies AI-driven personalization as one of the key trends reshaping customer service. AI copilots help analyze customer preferences, past interactions, and buying patterns. That means every customer feels recognized, no matter how many customers your business serves.

Growing use of conversational AI and voice bots

Conversational AI tools for customer service, like voice bots, are becoming mainstream. Gartner’s survey found that by 2025, 85% of customer service leaders plan to explore or pilot customer-facing generative AI solutions.

Already, nearly half of these leaders are actively experimenting or have implemented conversational AI to handle routine customer interactions. This shift turns traditional, people-driven customer service teams into technology-driven operations, positioning AI copilots at the center of the customer service experience.

Choose an AI copilot built for your growth and changing customer needs

As customer expectations shift, your business needs an AI copilot that evolves alongside your support demands. But selecting the right tool isn't just about technology. It's about choosing a partner you trust to grow with you.

Freshdesk is known for creating reliable, easy-to-use business software that thousands of companies trust daily. Our Freddy AI Copilot is built specifically to support customer service teams. It seamlessly handles routine tasks while helping your agents provide faster, more personalized responses.

Its features, like automated conversation summaries, instant multilingual support, real-time response suggestions, and advanced sentiment analysis, make it a valuable partner for your customer service operations.

Want to see Freddy AI in action yourself? Sign up for a free trial of Freshdesk, and elevate your support experience.