T-MOBILEAn AI assistant working in tandem with a live agent
T-Mobile's AI Assistant is built to resolve what it can and connect customers to a live agent whenever they ask.
AGENCYKettle
ROLELead Interaction Designer
MY CONTRIBUTIONSUX/UI
IA
AI Design
Conversational Design
Prototype
Before the AI Assistant, every support question went to a live agent, which left customers waiting until one was available. The brief was to cut that wait and let the AI resolve what it could on its own. At any point, a customer could ask to speak with a live agent, and the AI Assistant would seamlessly connect them.
THE CHALLENGE
33%
FEWER DAILY LIVE-CARE CHATS4.5M+
CHATS HANDLEDOne conversation, two visual languages for AI and a live agent
A customer should always know whether they're talking to the AI or a person: a name and chat bubble for a live agent, a logo and text for the AI, no bubble. T‑Mobile's CTO wanted the two to match. Instead of debating it, I built a prototype proving the handoff still felt seamless with distinct styles, it won him over, and the distinct look shipped.
The handoff between AI and agent, one continuous thread
I led the design of one chat thread that carries customers between the AI and a live agent. A customer can ask for a live agent at any point. Just as important, a customer can end the conversation with the live agent and have the AI pick back up, without restarting the chat or opening a new conversation.
AI Assistant has reduced daily live-care chat volume by roughly 33%
The AI Assistant is now T‑Mobile's primary entry point for support conversations, having managed over 4.5 million chats. Most customers start there, and roughly a third of conversations are resolved without a live agent.
Measured roughly two months after launch.