Workforce Augmentation to Empower Universal Agents

Authors: Layne Haaksma, Senior Research Analyst; Robin Gareiss, CEO & Principal Analyst

Not available for licensing.

How to drive measurable results by pairing AI and humans for optimal customer experience

Artificial intelligence (AI) is causing dramatic shifts in how human agents interact with customers, for both sales and service. AI agents handle 31.0% of interactions without any human involvement, according to Metrigy’s Customer Experience Optimization: 2025-26 global study of 656 companies. That leaves 69.0% of interactions requiring a human touch. This report will focus on the latter.

AI is augmenting human capabilities by making interactions better, faster, more insightful, and proactive. Simply put, workforce augmentation is the utilization of AI, analytics, and automation technologies specifically designed to improve human performance. Metrigy’s research documents compelling data that underscores how strategic investments in AI are yielding substantial improvements in agent efficiency, customer satisfaction, revenue growth, and overall business success.

Figure 1 shows how workforce augmentation improves CX, through the use of various AI, analytics, and automation methods aimed at improving human performance. For example, AI agents augment the workforce by offloading 31.0% of interactions from human agents, leaving them to focus on more critical issues. Additionally, AI, analytics, and automation can provide context for personalizing interactions, enable more informed coaching, determine when agents need breaks, empower universal agents, and help document success.

Table of Contents

• Introduction: What is Workforce Augmentation?
• Context from AI Makes Agents Smarter
  • Interaction Analytics Deliver Crucial Insights
  • AI Coaching Improves Agent and Customer Satisfaction
• Agent Wellness is Increasingly Vital
• New Roles: The Rise of Universal Agents
• Workforce Augmentation Requires AI Investment
• Conclusion and Recommendations