
The Battle of Call Center Workers: AI vs. Human
Call center workers at AT&T's call center in Mississippi are feeling the impact of artificial intelligence (A.I.) as the technology gradually takes over tasks such as note-taking, generating transcripts, and providing suggestions to customer service representatives. The fear of being replaced by A.I. is becoming a reality for many workers, particularly in customer service roles, which are often the first to be automated. While economists argue that A.I. may not lead to sudden widespread layoffs, it is expected to eliminate certain tasks and make the remaining work more challenging. Workers like Ylonda Sherrod, a vice president of the call center's local union chapter, are fighting for more information about their company's A.I. plans and advocating for worker protection measures.
