The intention behind this chatbot service is to efficiently handle tasks that usually require human service representatives, offering a more streamlined and adaptable experience for users. Dory Butler, Verizon’s senior vice president of customer experience, mentioned to The Verge that the AI assistant will connect customers to a human agent either when requested or when it cannot address the issue presented.

Butler explains that Verizon collaborated closely with Google to ensure the AI agent does not provide inaccurate information, by developing small language models specifically tailored to Verizon services and their customers. “Currently, we are achieving over 90 percent accuracy with only slight errors being made,” Butler stated.

Verizon says it’s now providing a so-called “Customer Champion” that will leverage Google’s Gemini and Cloud AI models to help customers resolve “complex issues.” The press release is vague, but in 2025 we’re going to assume that those champions are still humans utilizing Google’s AI tools. The goal is for customers to contact Verizon once, and for the champion to then provide updates via the My Verizon app, text messages, or call backs.

Verizon is also expanding the operating hours of its live customer service agents and introducing 24/7 live chat support that can cater to “diverse customer schedules and preferences.”