AI Chatbots Replace India’s Call-Center Jobs Amid Tech Boom
In Bengaluru, AI startup LimeChat is working to make customer service jobs nearly obsolete. It claims its generative chatbots can handle 10,000 monthly queries with 80% fewer employees.
India’s status as a global back-office hub rested on cheap labor and strong English skills. Now AI is eating into core call center roles in customer support, data management, and technical help desks.
AI firms say businesses are drawn to bots for cost cuts and scale. LimeChat bots now resolve 70% of customer complaints, and aim for 90–95% within a year. Their revenue jumped to $1.5 million in 2024 from just $79,000 two years earlier.
Still, many consumers prefer human agents. According to a survey, 78% say they want platforms offering real people.
India’s risk is large. Its business process management sector employs 1.65 million workers in roles now vulnerable to automation. Hiring in these roles has slowed dramatically — from 130,000 in 2022-23 to fewer than 17,000 annually now.
Some displaced workers tell personal stories. One former employee said, “I was told I am the first one replaced by AI” just before a major festival.
Experts see two paths ahead: India could evolve into a global “AI factory”, building and deploying automation tools, or face prolonged job dislocation unless social safeguards kick in.
