The biggest shift is that customers aren’t necessarily demanding instant replies as much as they’re demanding instant progress. If AI responds in 5 seconds but says “a human will get back to you,” the customer hasn’t really gained much. But if it can check an order, process a refund, update an account, or give an accurate answer immediately, that’s a completely different experience.
I also think this is why AI support is moving beyond traditional FAQ chatbots. The real value is in connecting the AI to the systems and workflows that let it actually resolve issues.
Speed gets the customer’s attention. Resolution earns their trust.