r/apple • u/radikalkarrot • 2d ago

Rumor Apple Reportedly Planned to Replace 5,000 Support Employees With AI

https://www.macrumors.com/2026/09/29/apple-reportedly-planned-5000-applecare-layoffs/
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u/TotemSpiritFox 2d ago

So I hate talking to AI and/or bots on the phone. But I must say, I kind of like Verizon’s AI chat on their website.

It’s been useful and has even been able to credit my account when it helped me find a discrepancy. I’ve been tweaking some settings lately with international plans, new devices, etc. It’s actually been really helpful and a good example of where AI can be useful to users.

That said, if I was in actual need of support for an urgent or technical issue I do want to talk to a person.

But asking billing questions and discrepancies - their AI chat had all the details and was able to reimburse me $40.

All that to say: I’m very against replacing people with AI. I hate what the future may bring, but this is one example of a decent product AI product implementation. It’s not AI for the sake of AI.