Consumers are increasingly frustrated with artificial intelligence in customer service, according to a new report from the Better Business Bureau.

Over the past three years, the BBB received more than 100,000 complaints, reviews and Scam Tracker reports mentioning AI and automation. Across all of them, one concern stood out: customers often feel unheard or dissatisfied when dealing with automated and AI services.

“We are hearing from consumers on a regular basis who are excited about the potential of this technology but also often voicing their displeasure when interacting with platforms and entities deploying a range of artificial intelligence,” says Mary O’Sullivan-Andersen, president and CEO of BBB Serving Alberta and East Kootenay.

“The vast majority of these reports are negative, with some consumers expressing high levels of frustration.”

Among the report’s findings: Of nearly 20,000 business reviews mentioning AI since 2023, more than 90 per cent were negative. Many of the complaints came from online retail, e-commerce and tech-forward industries, with consumers describing confusion, an inability to resolve their issues, and frustration at not being able to reach a human representative.

The BBB also offered tips for avoiding AI-related scams: Be cautious of unexpected phone calls with an automated voice; know that scammers can generate new phone numbers on the fly, so a new number may be the same scammer; and be wary of ads at the top of search results, which may imitate legitimate AI websites.

“As is always the case, consumers need to trust the businesses they are interacting with,” O’Sullivan-Andersen says. “This study indicates there is a level of discontent right now, and there’s much more work to do.”