Apple pauses plans to replace 5,000 AppleCare workers with AI agents
Apple reportedly considered replacing around 5,000 AppleCare customer service employees with AI-powered agents, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman. The company had explored automating roles to cut costs but has indefinitely put those plans on hold, Gurman reported. Last month, Apple began routing U.S. and Canadian AppleCare callers to a generative AI assistant for basic troubleshooting, though…
Key points
- Apple reportedly considered replacing ~5,000 AppleCare workers with AI agents but has paused the plan indefinitely
- U.S. and Canadian AppleCare callers now reach an AI-powered support assistant for basic troubleshooting
- Human agents still handle complex issues or direct transfers, per Apple’s current setup
The move follows Apple’s shift to AI-driven support in other areas, but the company has not confirmed whether it will revisit layoffs or reduce hiring for AppleCare roles. Gurman also noted recent layoffs of middle-management directors, though no direct link to the AI replacement plans was specified.
Mark Gurman: Apple considered replacing ~5,000 AppleCare customer service workers with AI-powered agents, but it has put those plans on hold indefinitely
macrumors.com · 29 September 2026
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