THE IMPACT OF NEW GENERATIVE AI CHATBOTS ON THE SWITCH POINT (SP): TOWARD AN ARTIFICIAL EMOTIONAL AWARENESS (AEA)

Purpose – This paper aims to contribute to the discussion on integrating humans and technology in customer service within the framework of Society 5.0, which emphasizes the growing role of artificial intelligence (AI). It examines how effectively new generative AI-based chatbots can handle customer emotions and explores their impact on determining the point at which a customer–machine interaction should be transferred to a human agent to prevent customer disengagement, referred to as the Switch Point (SP). Design/methodology/approach – To evaluate the capabilities of new generative AI-based chatbots in managing emotions, ChatGPT-3.5, Gemini and Copilot are tested using the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short-Form (TEIQue-SF). A reference framework is developed to illustrate the shift in the Switch Point (SP). Findings – Using the four-intelligence framework (mechanical, analytical, intuitive and empathetic), this study demonstrates that, despite advancements in AI’s ability to address emotions in customer service, even the most advanced chatbots—such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Copilot—still fall short of replicating the empathetic capabilities of human intelligence (HI). The concept of artificial emotional awareness (AEA) is introduced to characterize the intuitive intelligence of new generative AI chatbots in understanding customer emotions and triggering the SP. A complementary rather than replacement perspective of HI and AI is proposed, highlighting the impact of generative AI on the SP. Research limitations/implications – This study is exploratory in nature and requires further theoretical development and empirical validation. Practical implications – The study has only an exploratory character with respect to the possible real impact of the introduction of the new generative AI-based chatbots on collaborative approaches to the integration of humans and technology in Society 5.0. Originality/value – Customer Relationship Management managers can use the proposed framework as a guide to adopt a dynamic approach to HI–AI collaboration in AI-driven customer service.