THE APEX TIMES
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman says AI can replace much of customer service work
In unusually direct remarks to Bloomberg, Verizon’s chief executive described a hybrid future where AI handles routine requests while humans take on more complex cases - while acknowledging the workforce implications.
Verizon CEO Dan Schulman told Bloomberg that artificial intelligence could replace “a large percentage” of the company’s customer service work, arguing that executives “cannot honestly” claim AI won’t disrupt certain job functions. The comments come as telecom operators increasingly automate support and route customer requests through digital systems.
Schulman’s framing focused on work he described as repetitive and process-driven - such as password resets, billing questions, plan explanations and account changes - tasks that can be standardized into predictable decision flows. In his view, those requests are especially exposed because AI can address them faster and without the staffing constraints that come with peak contact volumes.
The CEO also emphasized that Verizon’s path is not fully automated. He described a hybrid model in which human workers remain responsible for more complex issues (including escalations and other judgment-heavy conversations), but AI absorbs a larger share of the front-line volume first. The practical effect, according to the report of his remarks, is that remaining customer service roles will change even if fewer positions remain.
The message lands after Verizon cut more than 13,000 employees in late November 2025 as part of a broader effort to reduce costs and simplify operations. The personnel impact gives the AI-and-jobs discussion added urgency for employees and labor stakeholders, while also setting up a debate about whether AI-driven productivity gains are being paired with meaningful transitions.
Verizon has said it created a $20 million Reskilling and Career Transition Fund for eligible employees departing the company. On its website, the company describes “free digital training and other resources,” including thousands of online courses across areas such as AI and data science, plus career support resources and a skill-certification pathway.
Verizon also publishes a “Responsible Artificial Intelligence” program outlining a risk-based approach to AI development, acquisition, deployment and use, including governance processes and principles covering privacy, technical robustness, transparency, and harm mitigation. Whether those policies translate into workforce protections at scale is likely to remain a central question as the company expands AI in customer-facing operations.
Why It Matters
- Schulman’s blunt language may sharpen investor expectations that AI can reduce customer-service labor costs as automation expands.
- The comments could intensify scrutiny of whether telecom automation improves customer outcomes or shifts frustration onto AI-driven self-service.
- A hybrid staffing model implies organizational redesign: fewer front-line roles, with remaining work more focused on escalations and judgment.
- Verizon’s stated reskilling efforts may become a benchmark - politically and operationally - for how large employers pair workforce reductions with transition support as AI adoption accelerates.
Sources
Key Facts
- Verizon CEO Dan Schulman told Bloomberg that AI could replace a “large percentage” of Verizon customer service work.
- Schulman said routine, repetitive customer requests are the most exposed work for automation.
- He described a hybrid model: AI handles more standard requests while humans handle complex cases.
- The remarks were reported in the wake of Verizon’s late-2025 reduction of more than 13,000 employees.
- Verizon says it set up a $20 million Reskilling and Career Transition Fund for eligible departing employees, offering free digital training and other resources.
- Verizon also maintains a published Responsible Artificial Intelligence program with risk-based governance principles.
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