In a bold move that’s already paying off, Verizon has embraced Google’s AI technology to transform how its customer service agents work—and the results have been impressive. Since integrating Google’s AI assistant into their customer service systems, Verizon has seen a striking 40% increase in sales made through its service representatives.
The AI assistant, developed using Google’s advanced Gemini large language model, isn’t replacing human workers. Instead, it’s helping them do their jobs better. On every service call, the AI provides real-time suggestions, guiding agents with accurate, instant responses to customer questions. That efficiency is cutting down call times and freeing up agents to focus more on upselling and cross-selling products.
According to Sampath Sowmyanarayan, CEO of Verizon’s consumer group, the company has been using the AI internally since July 2024, with full-scale rollout completed in January 2025. Since then, the shift from traditional customer support roles to sales-driven interactions has been smooth—and highly profitable.
“We’re doing reskilling in real time—from customer care agents to selling agents,” Sowmyanarayan said during Google Cloud’s annual conference, where the success was officially announced.
This partnership between Verizon and Google Cloud is a standout example of how large-scale AI implementation can work successfully without cutting jobs. While other companies, like Swedish fintech Klarna, are using AI to reduce headcount, Verizon is leveraging the technology to empower its workforce.
The AI tool was trained on nearly 15,000 internal Verizon documents, allowing it to quickly understand and respond to customer needs with accuracy and confidence. This tailored approach enhances both employee performance and customer satisfaction.
Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian emphasized the scale of Verizon’s implementation, saying, “Compared to what other people are doing, this is enormous scale.” And it certainly is—Verizon’s 28,000-person customer service team now uses the AI assistant as a daily resource.
Kurian’s division is playing a major role in Google’s growth, contributing $43 billion to Alphabet’s $350 billion revenue in 2024. The Verizon partnership proves that AI investments can pay off when done right.
Verizon’s AI strategy also reflects its broader cloud partnerships. While Amazon Web Services supports application deployment and infrastructure, Google Cloud handles analytics and AI. Verizon specifically chose Google over its rivals for one key reason: scalability. The ability to deploy powerful AI tools across tens of thousands of employees made all the difference.
Ultimately, Verizon’s success story may shift how companies view AI adoption—from a cost-cutting tool to a powerful productivity enhancer. And it sends a clear message: AI isn’t just about replacing humans—it can be about making them more effective.
