Your customers would rather use ChatGPT than your chatbot, Gartner finds

What happened

Gartner’s latest survey of 3,566 customers found that people are about three times more likely to solve service issues using third-party generative AI tools like ChatGPT than a company’s own chatbot. Despite heavy investments by businesses in AI-powered chatbots to manage customer queries, users prefer independent AI assistants over branded chatbots provided by the companies they interact with.

Why it matters

Customer service is one of the most expensive and high-stakes parts of running a business. Companies have poured resources into AI chatbots, expecting them to reduce costs and improve user experience. Instead, this data exposes a trust and satisfaction gap. Customers view external GenAI tools as more capable and reliable than corporate chatbots, which often fail to address complex problems or deliver seamless interactions. This shifts power away from brand-controlled channels and forces businesses to rethink how they deploy AI in customer interactions. Ignoring this trend risks higher support costs and weaker customer loyalty as users turn to independent AI.

What to watch next

Businesses must reconsider their AI support strategies, potentially integrating third-party GenAI capabilities or radically improving chatbot functionality. Look for moves by companies that either bridge their chatbot services with popular AI tools or entirely revamp AI support toward user preferences. Investors and founders should watch how customer service AI vendors adapt to stay relevant and avoid becoming secondary options to giants like ChatGPT. The coming months could see new hybrid models or partnership strategies aimed at recapturing customer trust within AI-driven support.

AI Quick Briefs Editorial Desk