Motivation

The customer service sector is currently undergoing a fundamental transformation driven by the rapid integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI). While simple tasks can be fully automated, complex customer service requests still require human intervention. In these “human-in-the-loop” scenarios, the AI shifts from automating tasks to augmenting them by supporting human agents with intent classification, data preprocessing, or response generation.

However, the introduction of AI into the workplace often creates tension between increased productivity and employee well-being. When algorithms dictate work processes, employees can lose their sense of autonomy and competence, reducing overall workplace satisfaction.

This thesis, therefore, aims to answer the following research question:

How can AI augmentation be designed in customer service to support the human agent’s need for autonomy and competence?

This thesis is conducted in collaboration with hsag (https://hsag.info), a leading German energy-sector service provider.

Tasks

• Review relevant literature on AI augmentation and its effect on autonomy and competence
• Propose a design for an AI-augmented mail processing system for customer service agents
• Empirically evaluate the design with users in a controlled environment

Requirements

• Proficiency in Python
• Interest in Human-AI Interaction
• Strong English writing & presentation skills