Customers are approximately three times more likely to use third-party GenAI tools than company-provided chatbots when resolving customer service issues, according to a survey by Gartner.
A Gartner survey of 3 566 B2B and B2C customers, conducted in February and March 2026, identified three key shifts in customer behavior: customers are far more likely to use third-party GenAI tools than company-provided chatbots; customers are using GenAI to complete tasks and take action, not only to get answers; and customers expect the option to reach a human agent when companies use AI in customer service.
“Customers are embracing GenAI in both life and work, but so far, that has not translated into growth in the use of company-provided customer service chatbots,” says Eric Keller, senior director analyst in the Gartner Customer Service & Support Practice. “Instead, GenAI is shifting some service interactions outside of company-owned channels.”
Customer Use of AI During Service and Support Interactions
Source: Gartner (June 2026)
Customers take service issues outside company-owned channels
Use of third-party GenAI tools during service and support interactions has nearly doubled in the past year, while use of company-provided chatbots has remained statistically unchanged since 2022. This lackluster adoption may help explain why many customer service organizations have yet to see financial returns from their AI investments.
According to a separate Gartner survey of 1,303 senior leaders across various industries, conducted in January through April 2026, service and support leaders invested a median of 12% of their 2025 budget in AI, the highest amount among the 10 business functions assessed. However, only 24% of service and support leaders demonstrated positive financial returns across their AI use cases.
“The disappointing impact of customer-facing GenAI investments has less to do with technology limitations and more to do with misalignment with customer expectations,” says Keller. “Rather than investing primarily in standalone chatbots, organisations should focus on AI-enabled service journeys that help customers resolve issues across digital and voice channels.”
Customers also expect GenAI to help them complete tasks, not only answer questions. Among customers who use GenAI, 58% said they have used it to complete a task on their behalf. In B2B environments, this rises to 74%.
“Many company-provided chatbots are still designed primarily to answer questions, but customers increasingly expect AI to help them take action, such as booking an appointment, submitting documents or updating their account,” says Keller. “Service and support leaders should redesign digital support around conversational, action-oriented experiences, rather than treating GenAI as a standalone chatbot.”