Top AI agents for autonomous workflows

Recently, AI agents are everywhere you look, using conversational AI to automate all kinds of service interactions. But not all AI agents are created equal, especially in customer and employee service. The best service and support AI agents are easy to use and to scale, purpose-built for service, trained on real service interactions, and enable frictionless transfers to human agents.

Not all AI agents can elevate service operations to new heights, and every company has different needs, goals, and resources. In this guide, we’ll explore all that AI agents can do and then go in-depth on features, use cases, pricing, and more for 12 unique options.

More in this guide:

• How we evaluated these AI agent platforms
• AI agent comparison chart
• The 12 top AI agents
• How to choose the best AI agent for your business
• Frequently asked questions
• Elevate your support with intuitive AI agents from Zendesk

We compared these AI agents based on the capabilities that matter most for customer and employee service teams. Rather than focusing on feature count alone, we evaluated each platform's ability to resolve customer issues, automate workflows, integrate with business systems, and scale across channels. We also considered deployment speed, governance and security, analytics, pricing models, customer support, and long-term operational fit. The goal is to help organizations identify the right AI agent based on their service needs—not just the longest list of features.

These 12 agentic AI agents have different costs, features, and use cases. Here’s a brief overview:

Now, take a more detailed look at each AI agent and which service capabilities they can handle.

• Zendesk: Best for sophisticated automated resolutions across any channel
• Freshworks Freddy AI: Best for predictive ticket routing
• Intercom Fin: Best for contextual chat responses
• ServiceNow Virtual Agent: Best for IT service workflows
• Salesforce Agentforce: Best for CRM automation
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service: Best for omnichannel support
• LivePerson Conversational Cloud: Best for messaging strategies
• Ada: Best for brand customization
• IBM watsonx Assistant: Best for enterprise understanding
• Genesys: Best for contact center orchestration
• Boost.ai: Best for performance analytics
• Cognigy.ai: Best for multilingual chat automation

1. Zendesk

Best for sophisticated automated resolutions across any channel

Zendesk AI agents deliver human-first, empathetic service, crucial for companies focused on either customer or employee satisfaction—or both. Our unique advantage comes from pre-training Zendesk AI on billions of real service interactions, making Zendesk customer- and employee service-ready out of the box. This extensive training enables the AI to manage a broad range of use cases, from answering common questions to facilitating complex interactions.

Key features include generative replies that leverage powerful retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). RAG synthesizes accurate, contextual responses from multiple sources, including your AI help desk and knowledge base, fostering self-service and freeing human agents for more nuanced tasks.

For a balance of automation and human connection, Zendesk AI provides hybrid flows. These seamlessly integrate generative AI responses with pre-defined conversational paths, offering customers optimal control and efficiency over the chat. While the AI can fully resolve 80+ percent of interactions autonomously, a smooth handover to a human agent is always possible when needed.

The AI agent builder simplifies deployment with an intuitive interface designed specifically for service teams, not developers. This enables high accuracy from day one without extensive training or complex flow design, and its robust integrations via the Zendesk Marketplace ensure a seamless fit into existing operations.

Beyond efficient resolution, Zendesk AI is built on trust and continuous improvement. It incorporates built-in QA and transparent AI decision-making, allowing companies to understand how the AI reaches conclusions. These features analyze 100 percent of service interactions, providing deep insights into performance and sentiment, which is vital for maintaining brand consistency and customer confidence.

Service teams also gain access to Procedure Builder and Actions with a simple point-and-click user interface. These allow teams to easily define and automate multi-step processes and specific tasks directly for the AI agent. Streamlining operations and reducing manual effort also creates a clear path for resolving sophisticated service issues. You end up with more empathetic and effective service delivery, and your service satisfaction scores tick upward.

What people are saying:

• “Implementing AI is easy.”
• “It is user-friendly with AI for integrating multichannel support.”

• “All-in-one tool to support our clients in different channels.”

2. Freshworks Freddy AI

Best for predictive ticket routing

Freshworks Freddy AI is an AI agent designed to automate customer support processes through predictive ticket routing, automated responses, and workflow management. It works across departments like IT, sales, and customer service, managing routine inquiries and triggering backend actions such as processing refunds or updating orders.

The AI agent uses machine learning to analyze support trends and route tickets to agents based on past cases and expertise. Freddy also enables customized workflows for tasks like follow-ups and approvals, while maintaining escalation paths for issues that need human support.

However, Freddy AI requires a monthly add-on cost regardless of conversations or resolutions, meaning you could pay for the tool even if you’re not getting adequate use from it.

What people are saying:

• “Freddy AI has demonstrated significant value and effectiveness in composing and drafting emails for various communications and responses.”
• “It's hard to simply test Freddy AI without any direct costs before you even know if it's useful for the company.”
• “Sometimes it can be very restrictive. I am uncomfortable with that situation.”

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Freshdesk compare.

3. Intercom Fin

Best for contextual chat responses

Intercom Fin is an AI agent that delivers contextual responses by analyzing conversation history, customer data, and support content. It integrates with help desks and knowledge bases to provide consistent, personalized answers across service channels.

Fin supports automated and assisted service scenarios, with no-code setup and customizable tone to match brand voice. Organizations can train the AI agent like a new employee, then analyze, test, and optimize performance in a unified workspace.

What people are saying:

• “Fin learns quickly, continuously improving its ability to provide accurate and relevant answers.”
• “Despite its advanced capabilities, Fin can still struggle with highly intricate, multi-layered queries that require a deeper level of human understanding or judgment.”
• “Fin doesn't achieve a 65% resolution rate like Intercom guarantees, it only achieves 50.7%, and in truth, it's much lower since we often have to intervene and rescue conversations where Fin is unhelpful or hallucinates.”

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Intercom compare.

4. ServiceNow Virtual Agent

Best for IT service workflows

ServiceNow Virtual Agent is an AI agent built to support IT service workflows and broader enterprise automation. When integrated with ServiceNow’s ITSM platform, it handles ticket creation, catalog access, and record updates without human input.

The tool initiates and completes flows such as incident reporting and data retrieval, and works within existing systems and databases. Integrated with ITSM Pro, it helps reduce manual workloads and ensures continuous support availability.

What people are saying:

• “It's a powerful solution…with provided visibility and very good graphical representation of data.”
• “A lot of work and costs are behind setting up and running this product.”
• “[It’s] very hard to navigate and is always lagging.”

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. ServiceNow compare.

5. Salesforce Agentforce

Best for CRM automation

Salesforce Agentforce is an AI agent that automates CRM workflows by managing tasks like lead qualification, sales opportunities, and customer record updates. It analyzes customer data within Salesforce to enable targeted outreach and proactive engagement.

With routing based on skills and availability, the platform supports both internal sales operations and external interactions. It also handles the full lifecycle from lead capture to retention.

However, while Salesforce takes a hybrid approach, Agentforce is only focused on busywork, not resolutions. Salesforce has also been criticized for not being transparent about how Agentforce makes decisions, preventing customers from being able to control AI agent behavior.

What people are saying:

• “It’s especially effective for automating workflows, managing customer interactions, and scaling support operations without needing a deep technical background.”
• “While the functionality is impressive, the initial configuration can be complex.”
• “Some tasks feel repetitive and could be more automated.”

Learn more: Discover how Salesforce integrates with Zendesk and how Zendesk vs. Salesforce compare.

6. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Best for omnichannel support

Microsoft Dynamics 365 includes an AI agent that provides customer support across voice, chat, email, and social media. It connects with Azure and Microsoft Teams for a unified experience, ensuring consistent access to customer data and history.

The agent can support service teams through case routing, sentiment detection, and knowledge management. Analytics tools help track agent productivity and customer satisfaction across channels, while automation streamlines internal workflows.

What people are saying:

• “Ultra high customizability when teamed up with a development partner team.”
• “For smaller companies, the initial complexity of implementation and configuration can be challenging.”
• “The interface could be more user-friendly.”

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. Microsoft Dynamics 365 compare.

7. LivePerson Conversational Cloud

Best for messaging strategies

LivePerson Conversational Cloud is an AI agent platform focused on managing customer conversations across digital messaging channels like SMS, WhatsApp, and web chat. It enables asynchronous support and maintains continuity across touchpoints.

The AI analyzes customer intent and automates routing and responses, while giving agents tools for collaboration. Supervisors have oversight to maintain service quality and escalate conversations when needed.

What people are saying:

• “[It has an] amazing interface.”
• “The learning curve can be steep for new users trying to set up advanced features like automation flows.”
• “It is a difficult and complex product, so you will need to train a person or two to navigate it.”

Learn more: Discover how Zendesk vs. LivePerson compare.

8. Ada

Best for brand customization

Ada is an AI agent built for customer service automation with brand personalization at its core. It lets organizations design AI agents that reflect brand voice, tone, and design standards.

The software personalizes interactions based on customer preferences and behavior while supporting multiple languages and regions. Its analytics tools monitor service consistency, customer satisfaction, and help teams scale personalized support efficiently.

What people are saying:

• “The solution is easy and useful, and the reports are insightful.”
• “Ada's implementation and maintenance were quite a heavy lift.”
• “When gathering data, I often see conflicting numbers, which makes it hard to measure the effectiveness of the bot.”

9. IBM watsonx Assistant

Best for enterprise understanding

IBM watsonx Assistant is an AI agent platform for large organizations needing conversational capabilities across departments and industries. It integrates with enterprise systems and databases to provide contextual responses using natural language understanding.

The tool interprets technical queries and maintains conversation context, while its analytics track user satisfaction and conversation patterns. It supports customer and internal service applications with security and compliance in mind.

What people are saying:

• “Reliable AI platform with strong enterprise capabilities.”
• “I found the documentation a bit overwhelming at first.”
• “The pricing can get high if you scale quickly.”

10. Genesys

Best for contact center orchestration

Genesys is an AI agent platform for contact centers that coordinates agents, channels, and workflows. It handles voice, digital, and self-service interactions through unified orchestration.

Using AI, the agent predicts customer needs, manages agent scheduling, and optimizes routing. Real-time monitoring supports adjustments to reallocate resource use, while analytics offer insights into performance and customer satisfaction. Reporting and analytics features track performance metrics and support strategic planning for contact center operations.

What people are saying:

• “Genesys Cloud strikes a balance between ease of use and functionality.”
• “Implementation costs were a bit high due to legacy infrastructure.”
• “Not designed for complex contact centers.”

Learn more: Discover how the Genesys Cloud App integrates with Zendesk and how Zendesk vs. Genesys compare.

11. Boost.ai

Best for performance analytics

Boost.ai is a conversational AI agent platform that focuses on analyzing and optimizing automated service performance. It measures intent accuracy, conversation success, and customer satisfaction across channels.

The solution offers performance monitoring that identifies issues and opportunities for improvement. With detailed reporting, the platform supports data-driven decisions and service delivery enhancements.

What people are saying:

• “I'm impressed by the pace of development and Boost's ability to release new versions at short intervals.”
• “The solution could be more configurable for the admins and developers.”
• “[There is] a lack of communication about the product roadmap.”

Learn more: See why Phonero chose Zendesk over Boost.ai.

12. Cognigy.ai

Best for multilingual chat automation

Cognigy.ai is a multilingual AI agent platform designed to support global customer service through localization and cultural adaptation. It handles language-specific dialogue and regional variations while maintaining intent and context.

The platform supports employee- and customer-facing use cases and tracks interaction quality by region. It adapts conversation flows to match local expectations and language standards with natural language processing and machine learning.

What people are saying:

• “The support from the Cognigy team has been exceptional, assisting us with project implementation, troubleshooting, and connecting us with other parts of the Cognigy ecosystem.”
• “It is on the upper end when it comes to license cost. I know competitors that are less capable but also more affordable.”
• “To become high-level, you need more skills like API, JavaScript, HTTP, etc.”

Choosing the right AI agent requires finding a solution that automates efficiently, enhances human connections, and adapts to your evolving business needs.

Look for people-first, context-aware, natural language

The best AI agents are designed with a human-first approach, prioritizing employee and customer empathy through natural interactions. This means they should possess strong NLU capabilities, allowing them to understand not just words but also the intent and context behind customer queries.

Look for solutions trained on vast—and relevant—datasets. Zendesk is pretrained on 18+ billion real service interactions, enabling Zendesk AI agents to comprehend nuances and provide relevant, accurate responses. These qualities make an AI agent truly service-ready from day one.

Choose a tool compatible with native, AI-assisted voice

In today's diverse communication landscape, voice support remains crucial. An effective AI agent should seamlessly integrate with native, AI-assisted voice software. This ensures consistent, high-quality interactions across both text and spoken channels.

The ability to understand and respond naturally in voice can significantly improve customer experience. It can offer quick, convenient resolutions for common inquiries and ensure that customers can interact in the way they prefer.

Prioritize continuous learning and adaptation

An AI agent isn't a static tool; it should constantly evolve. Look for solutions that incorporate continuous learning and adaptation mechanisms. This includes built-in bot-specific QA and transparent AI decision-making, allowing your business to understand how the AI arrives at its conclusions.

Ideally, the AI should be able to analyze 100 percent of interactions so it can glean deep insights into performance and sentiment. This continuous feedback loop ensures the AI agent consistently improves and maintains brand continuity.

Ensure the tool has omnichannel integration

Customers and employees expect seamless experiences across all touchpoints. A truly effective AI agent must offer robust omnichannel routing, unifying interactions whether they originate from chat, email, social media, or phone.

This way, the AI can access complete conversation histories and customer data regardless of the channel. It prevents users from experiencing frustrating repetitions and provides a cohesive, efficient support journey.

Make sure the AI agent has seamless human handoff

While AI excels at handling numerous types of inquiries, some issues ultimately require a human touch. A critical feature of the right AI agent is its ability to facilitate a seamless human handoff.

The AI should intelligently recognize when an issue requires human intervention and transfer the conversation smoothly, providing the human agent with full context and history. With voice calls, this means intelligent routing that uses sentiment, intent, and language to ensure the call reaches the most qualified and available agent.

This hybrid approach ensures that customers receive the perfect balance of efficient intelligent automation and empathetic human support within the same conversation.