AI customer service under scrutiny amid rising complaints

As artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly important part of customer service, handling product inquiries, cost explanations, promotions and after-sales support, consumer complaints about such systems have been on the rise.

The China Consumers Association said in an analysis report released in early August that many consumers were dissatisfied with AI systems in the first half of this year, with the main complaints involving difficulties in reaching human customer service representatives and unreliable information.

The association handled 985,928 consumer complaints in the first half of this year, down 1.01 percent from the previous year. Nearly 27 percent of the complaints were related to after-sales services, followed by problems involving contracts, product quality and false advertising. Most complaints concerned household electronics, clothing and footwear, food, daily-use goods and motor vehicles.

The report also highlighted a rise in complaints involving AI customer service and other AI tools. Consumers were mainly frustrated by AI agents failing to honor promises, difficulties in reaching human operators, and inaccurate or misleading information.

Some consumers, for example, found it difficult to switch from AI customer service to a human representative. Some platforms appeared to delay or block access to human agents through endless loops or repeated redirects, making it difficult to resolve complex issues such as returns, refunds and liability disputes. This increased the time and effort required to resolve complaints.

Other consumers said AI agents had made promises concerning prices, promotions or after-sales policies, only for businesses to later refuse to honor them, arguing that "AI responses don't represent the company's position" or that "algorithm-generated content carries no legal weight."

There were also cases in which AI-generated responses contained factual errors or misinterpreted key rules, particularly in areas such as flight ticket changes and cancellations, protection of legal rights and financial services. Such mistakes could mislead consumers into making poor decisions and suffering financial losses.

The association cited the Consumer Rights Protection Law, which stipulates that businesses must provide truthful and complete information about the quality, performance, intended use and validity period of their goods or services, and must not engage in false or misleading advertising.

While AI customer service systems themselves cannot be held legally responsible, they are tools used by businesses, meaning their output forms part of the services provided to consumers, the association said.

The association urged businesses that use AI customer service to establish clear and convenient channels for consumers to reach human agents. It also clarified that responses generated by third-party AI systems do not constitute official commitments by platforms or merchants.

Consumers, meanwhile, are advised to verify important transaction details through official channels, such as company websites or customer service hotlines, to avoid unnecessary financial losses.