Five9 is redefining contact center AI strategy by focusing on a 'Humantic' model that integrates human agents and AI rather than aiming for full automation, prioritizing empathy and complexity in customer service.
- Five9 promotes 'Humantic' contact centers combining humans and AI.
- High-value and complex calls reserved for human agents.
- Open platform strategy supports third-party AI integration.
What happened
Five9, a cloud contact center software provider, announced a strategic shift away from the prevailing industry goal of fully automating customer interactions. Amit Mathradas, who became CEO in February, emphasized that Five9 is investing in a new model they call 'Humantic,' where human agents and AI co-exist and collaborate on the same floor rather than competing for calls. This model recognizes that while AI can efficiently handle routine inquiries such as password resets or balance checks, the highest-value, most complex, or sensitive calls require a human touch.
The shift also came with an open platform approach that allows integration with third-party AI voice vendors, enabling customers to leverage the best tools without a forced migration to a new tech stack. For instance, a long-standing moving and storage company is routing over 100,000 calls annually through Five9’s AI agentic technology, achieving improved call containment and reduced agent turnover for routine tasks.
Why it matters
The move by Five9 addresses a growing disconnect between vendor optimism and customer reality. While 99% of business practitioners deploying AI in contact centers believe their customer service has improved, only 66% of actual users agree. A common complaint is difficulty reaching human agents when needed. Five9’s Humantic approach targets this gap by preserving the role of humans in handling sensitive or complex cases, thus improving customer satisfaction and retention.
This balanced approach also prevents premature full automation, which can lead to customer frustration and lost business. By focusing on the right operational mix, Five9 positions itself to deliver more sustainable AI-driven customer experiences that leverage the strengths of both technology and human empathy, potentially setting a new industry standard.
What to watch next
The next significant development in contact centers will revolve around orchestration—how disparate AI and human systems, along with underlying data stores, are integrated to deliver seamless customer journeys. Five9 is actively exploring this area, aiming to enable smarter coordination among various systems of record and AI tools to optimize both customer experience and operational efficiency.
Industry observers should also track how widely Five9’s open platform approach is adopted by customers and third-party AI providers. The success of their strategy could influence other contact center vendors to move away from rigid full-automation models and towards hybrid frameworks that blend human intelligence and AI capabilities more fluidly.