The power of AI Agents in customer service: reimagining public, academic, and commercial engagement through automation and intelligence

In an era where expectations for instant, accurate, and personalised responses are at an all-time high, organisations across both public and private sectors are turning to AI agents to transform how they deliver customer service. Whether it’s a local government office handling resident inquiries, a university answering admissions questions, or a commercial enterprise managing customer interactions, AI-powered agents are becoming an essential tool to enhance the delivery of customer service..

What are AI agents?

AI agents are intelligent, autonomous systems capable of understanding, processing, and responding to human queries, often in real-time and across multiple channels with minimal human input. They gather data, process it using rules or machine learning, and then act, often improving over time through learning and constant use. These systems use technologies like natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and knowledge graphs to simulate human-like conversations and decision-making.

Agent-Ex: Search is Jadu’s AI-powered search solution designed for public sector, higher education, and enterprise websites. It delivers fast, accurate, and accessible answers directly within your existing search interface, with no chatbots or complex setup required. By understanding and indexing your website’s content, it provides multilingual, voice and text-based responses that reduce contact centre demand and improve user satisfaction. Fully compliant with accessibility standards and compatible with any web CMS, Agent-Ex: Search offers a seamless, intelligent search experience that enhances digital self-service.

Local Government: enhancing engagement

For local governments, responsiveness and transparency are essential. Residents expect 24/7 access to Government services and information, without long wait times, complex navigation or sifting through confusing data and answers.

How AI helps:

• Virtual assistants for residents answer common questions about permits, waste collection, local events - more instantly.
• Intelligent routing means AI agents can categorise and escalate inquiries to the correct department, reducing redundant administrative tasks.
• Multilingual support means councils can serve diverse communities with inclusive, language-aware agents. With Jadu Agent-Ex: Search users can use their voice or type queries and receive answers in over 70 languages, creating an inclusive experience.
• Example: a council website with an AI search can reduce call centre load by over 40%, freeing up staff to handle more complex cases.

Higher Education: supporting students at scale

In higher education, student engagement doesn’t stop at enrollment. From admissions to alumni relations, institutions worldwide face various support challenges that AI agents can help streamline.

How AI helps:

• Admissions & FAQs: AI agents can handle thousands of inquiries during peak periods, providing timely, accurate answers about deadlines, courses, and financial aid without students waiting days or weeks for replies.
• Academic support: Students can ask about library hours, building opening times, tutoring options, or exam schedules through 24/7 AI-driven help desks.
• Personalisation tokens mean AI agents can use integrated student data to deliver customised responses, improving satisfaction and retention.
• Example: Universities already using AI agents during enrollment season reported a dramatic drop in email volume and increased applicant satisfaction.

Commercial sector: driving customer experience and loyalty

In the competitive landscape of retail, finance, and other commercial industries, customer experience is a key differentiator. AI agents enable brands to deliver fast, efficient, and consistent service across all touchpoints.

How AI helps:

• Omnichannel engagement: AI agents operate seamlessly across websites, social media, SMS, and email, meaning all users are catered for based on their communication preferences.
• 24/7 availability: Agents are always on and never get tired, ensuring customers can get help anytime, anywhere.
• Data-driven insights: AI can analyse customer interactions to identify trends, inform strategy, and personalise future engagement.
• Example: A retail company deploying AI agents on its website and social channels can increase customer satisfaction scores by up to 25%.

Why now?

Across sectors, the demand for digital transformation is urgent, but budgets, staffing, and time are often limited. AI agents provide a high-impact, cost-effective way to:

• Reduce operational costs
• Improve service quality
• Scale support capacity
• Enhance digital engagement

Unlike static FAQs or generic help desks, AI agents continually improve through learning, making them a sustainable long-term investment.

Final thoughts

AI agents aren’t just a tech trend; they’re a strategic asset for any organisation that values responsiveness, efficiency, and user satisfaction. For local governments, higher education institutions, and commercial enterprises, the time to invest is now.

Whether you're aiming to serve constituents better, support students more effectively, or delight customers at scale, AI agents are the next frontier in innovative, accessible, and human-centric service delivery.

Interested in learning more about how Agent-Ex: Search can help your organisation? Learn more and request a demo.