Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
Apple Working on ChatGPT-Style AI Assistant for Customer Support
- Thread starter MacRumors
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Customer “I want to complain “ apple chat gpt… “ you want to complain, I’ve only had these shoes for two weeks……………..”
Apple appears to be developing an AI-based "Support Assistant" for the Apple Support app. Signs of the feature were found in Apple code by MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris, but the Support Assistant doesn't appear to be live in the app as of yet.
Apple users will interact with Support Assistant through chats. The Apple Support app already has a chat feature that relies on Messages, but it is used for communicating with Apple's live support agents. Support Assistant would likely allow customers to open the Apple Support app, type in a problem that they're having, and get generative AI-based solutions as a step before contacting a live person. Apple's code says that users will have the option to consult with an Apple advisor for help after using the Support Assistant feature.
The code states that the Support Assistant "uses generative models," and that it will provide answers "related to certain Apple products and services." Apple warns that generative models can sometimes provide "incorrect, misleading, incomplete, offensive, or harmful outputs," and that customers should not rely on information from Support Assistant as a substitute for professional advice.
There is a reference to uploading content, which suggests Support Assistant could allow users to upload images, PDFs, or documents related to support requests. Apple also says that it works with partners to provide Support Assistant, so it's possible that this will be a ChatGPT-powered feature.
There isn't any indication of when the Support Assistant feature might launch, but Apple is already testing a ChatGPT-style generative AI tool for AppleCare support advisors.
That tool, called "Ask," is designed to generate responses to technical questions that advisors receive from customers. Ask brings up information from Apple's internal knowledge base, and advisors are able to ask follow-up questions.
Article Link: Apple Working on ChatGPT-Style AI Assistant for Customer Support
For those too young, you know where to look it up 🤣
"sorry, I didn't understand what iPhone means. Do you want me to search the web?"
Why don’t you just fix your system and we won’t need customer support, start with Siri, replace it with ChatGPT.
Urgh so now I will have to trick the apple support bot into connecting me to an agent instead of recommending as ruff I have already tried ffs
Not sure about this. If this is provided as an additional option, maybe then this is ok. Otherwise I prefer to have the shortest and direct option to reach an actual human support staff.
Hopefully will not have to go around having to chat with an AI before being able to transfer the chat to a live agent.
Hopefully will not have to go around having to chat with an AI before being able to transfer the chat to a live agent.
For better or worse, Apple is no outlier and every company is doing this right now.
I would not be surprised if Agents are pretty ubiquitous by Q3 next year.
A well designed AI can probably deflect about 70% of first line issues so for more speed of service and the experience may actually improve. For the other 30% you likely would have needed an escalation regardless.
I would not be surprised if Agents are pretty ubiquitous by Q3 next year.
A well designed AI can probably deflect about 70% of first line issues so for more speed of service and the experience may actually improve. For the other 30% you likely would have needed an escalation regardless.
It makes sense and should not take decade to train it so it can give users support in normal issues 24/7. Of course human is human but unexperienced human is not any better 
But it has to have ability to file support ticket on behalf of user otherwise it is not real help.
But it has to have ability to file support ticket on behalf of user otherwise it is not real help.
I would not say "Apple has had some of the best customer support in the industry." I would say Apple has had the only customer support in the industry aside from the Best Buy type support.
That said, TBH all that level one phone support does is [sometimes poorly] follow a decision tree by rote that they are reading on their display. E.g. "Do you have the latest OS installed?" [that we insist on you having installed but is functionally still beta]. "Let's get you installed on the latest OS first" [irrespective of whether or not it breaks any of your existing enterprise-critical apps]. And those level one support people tend to be inexperienced by definition.
So IMO we will just need to see how well AI is implemented into tech-support. Being at least as good as the existing human level one is frankly a low bar to need to meet.
Support in Apple Stores has always been superb for me. Real humans look you in the eye and direct you to the in-store level 2-3-4 person with the expertise needed for your issue.
Last edited:
This could be useful if it's properly trained on actual internal Apple policies and other information. I've often had human interactions at Apple where they give me the wrong information entirely or otherwise lead me to believe something that isn't entirely correct. They can also be slow to respond. What sucks is all of the people that are about to lose their jobs. This is coming for all of us, and is why I decided to start my own company to put the power back into my own hands.
Nobody wants this. Every time I engage with an AI support agent, it’s useless and the only goal is to find the right steps to actually talk to a real person