The customer service industry is undergoing a major transformation, driven by AI-powered tools like Microsoft Copilot, which are reshaping how businesses interact with their customers.
AI solutions streamline operations, automate routine tasks, and provide faster, more accurate responses.
However, as AI technology becomes more advanced, maintaining clarity in terminology is essential to avoid confusion between human representatives and AI-driven systems.
To address this, Microsoft is renaming key service tools and redefining its language around AI and human roles. By standardizing terms like “AI agent” for autonomous bots and “customer service representative” for human support staff, Microsoft ensures a consistent and user-friendly experience across its platforms.
These updates align with its AI-first vision, creating a more intuitive and efficient service environment. As businesses embrace AI, clear and precise language will be crucial in fostering seamless collaboration between human agents and AI-driven solutions.
New Names For Service Workspaces
To align with Microsoft’s AI-first vision, the following updates are being made:
- Customer Service workspace and Contact Center workspace will now be called Copilot Service workspace.
- The Customer Service admin center and Contact Center admin center will be renamed the Copilot Service admin center.
These changes ensure that Copilot-related features are integrated smoothly while providing a more intuitive user experience.
For more details, visit Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service.
Refining The Use Of “Agents” And “Bots”
Previously, the term “agent” was used for both AI-powered bots and human representatives, confusing. Moving forward:
AI agent” will refer exclusively to autonomous AI-driven agents.
Previously, the term “agent” was used for both human service representatives and AI-powered assistants, which led to confusion.
Now, “AI agent” will specifically refer to fully autonomous AI-driven assistants that can handle customer queries, automate responses, and perform certain tasks without human intervention. This change ensures a clear distinction between human support and AI-powered automation.
A customer service representative will be the official term for human consultants.
To remove ambiguity, Microsoft will now refer to human consultants as “customer service representatives.” This term broadly covers all roles that involve direct customer interactions, such as support agents, help desk professionals, and service specialists.
The goal is to highlight the human aspect of customer service while allowing AI agents to take on their distinct categories.
When a shorter name is needed, “service representative” or simply “representative” will be used.
Since “customer service representative” can be a bit long in some contexts, Microsoft will use shorter alternatives where necessary.
In places like UI elements, internal dashboards, and training materials, you may see “service representative” or just “representative” to keep things simple and clear without losing meaning.
Features that included “agent” in their names (e.g., “Agent Scripts”) have been renamed to more neutral alternatives, such as “Scripts” or “Experience Profiles.”
Many existing features within Dynamics 365 Customer Service included the term “agent,” even when they applied to both AI and human representatives. To ensure consistency, Microsoft has renamed these features. For example:
- “Agent Scripts” is now simply “Scripts” because scripts can be used by both AI and human representatives.
- “Agent Experience Profiles” is now “Experience Profiles” to make it more inclusive.
These changes help eliminate confusion and better reflect how these tools are used in real-world customer service settings.
This terminology shift enhances clarity across marketing materials, documentation, and user interfaces.
Embracing “Customer Service Representative”
Microsoft is making a significant shift in how it refers to human support roles within its customer service ecosystem.
The term “agent” has long been used to describe both AI-driven bots and human service professionals, leading to confusion. To enhance clarity, Microsoft is now standardizing the term “customer service representative” for all human roles.
This update reflects the diverse responsibilities within customer support, including representatives, support staff, and technicians who directly assist customers.
By distinguishing AI agents from human professionals, Microsoft is ensuring that businesses and customers can clearly differentiate between automated and human-driven interactions.
While “agent” remains a widely used term in the industry, Microsoft is taking the lead in redefining terminology for a more AI-integrated future.
This shift aligns with the growing presence of AI-powered tools like Copilot while maintaining the crucial human element in customer service.
When Will These Changes Take Effect?
These updates will roll out by the April 2025 Wave, ensuring all materials and platforms reflect the new terminology.
For businesses with customized app names, these changes will not affect existing customizations. If you’d like to update your app name, description, or icon, you can do so via the App Designer.
It’s important to note that the overall product names for Dynamics 365 Customer Service and Dynamics 365 Contact Center remain unchanged.
