'AI cannot understand emotions': Customers frustrated with chatbots

Chatbots and AI-powered call centers have left many customers frustrated because they lack the judgment and empathy of human operators, according to VnExpress readers.

"I think replacing human operators with AI is a mistake by businesses. AI cannot understand customers' emotions and can only respond mechanically," reader Phuoc Ho Hung wrote, commenting on the growing use of AI in customer service.

The comments followed a VnExpress article about companies that have begun rehiring employees after replacing them with AI, finding that the technology could not fully handle customer service tasks.

One example is the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), which laid off more than 40 customer service employees last year after introducing AI voice bots.

According to reports, the system struggled to cope with customer demand, leading to an increase in call volumes. The bank later reversed the layoffs, a move the Australian Finance Sector Union described as a "major win."

CBA told ABC News last August that it "did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations" when making the redundancies and acknowledged that "we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required."

Reader Thanhluenhp shared a similar view.

"What annoys me most is AI-generated answers. They often beat around the bush and drag out the response, wasting my time. I've canceled services with companies that rely on AI-powered customer support and switched to ones where I can speak to a real person."

Reader Redpilaholic argued that AI should assist rather than replace human workers.

"AI should support people, not replace them. It's outrageous to let bots take over jobs that require judgment and interpersonal skills, like customer service. AI is just a tool for storing information and processing data. Decisions should still be left to humans."

Reader Linh Dang said chatbots were useful only for basic inquiries.

"After dealing with chatbots for banking, spa services and electronics support, I found they could only answer simple questions. As soon as the situation was even slightly different from what they were programmed for, they started going in circles, which was frustrating. Human operators are still necessary because AI isn't reliable enough."