Shopee AI Chatbot.. So yeah, I’m talking about AI again..surprise. But this time, it’s not about Studio Ghibli-style Raya portraits or bots replacing illustrators (we’ve covered that). This one’s about customer service specifically, what happened when I shopped on Shopee and needed actual help. Spoiler: I didn’t get a bot. I got a real human. And that, in today’s landscape, felt weirdly… refreshing.
I was checking out a product and had a few questions. The product page didn’t answer them, and a quick Google search didn’t help either. Naturally, I opened the chat box on Shopee, fully expecting to be met with one of those Chat AI Assistants who give you templated, overly polite replies that never really answer your question.
But surprise, surprise I got a human. Not just a human, but one who replied immediately and addressed my question directly. I know this shouldn’t be surprising, but in 2025, it kind of is.
Bots Are Fine… Until They’re Not
Let’s be honest: AI-powered customer service has come a long way. It’s fast, scalable, and available 24/7. In fact, many Shopee sellers now use the default “Chat AI Assistant” feature to handle customer queries. And sometimes, that works. But if you’ve ever needed a real answer not a generic one you’ll understand how frustrating it is when the bot replies with something like:
“Hello! Please refer to the product description for more information 😊.”
Sir, the reason I’m asking is because your product description didn’t help.
That moment made me realize something: human responses still feel better. There’s a kind of comfort in knowing that someone is actually listening (or reading) and responding to you not just running your question through a script.
The Human Touch Still Matters
So back to that Shopee experience the fact that a well-known brand still uses actual people to handle their customer chats? Huge respect. That kind of commitment to customer experience builds trust. It also made me more likely to buy from them.
Look, I get it. Companies are under pressure to cut costs and speed things up. AI seems like the perfect solution and in some areas, it is. We can’t deny that AI is already replacing jobs and changing the way businesses operate. Layoffs are real. Automation is here. But...
Can we just not replace all of customer service with it?
There’s still value in a real conversation. There’s still something powerful and surprisingly rare about that moment where a person helps another person.
Will AI Take Over Everything?
Maybe. Slowly. But here’s the thing: I don’t think AI should replace all the human interactions. Especially in areas that deal with emotions, trust, and, well, customers.
Let AI speed up the backend, optimize logistics, or generate reports. But let humans handle the questions that don’t have a templated answer. Let humans calm down angry customers. Let humans care.
Because sometimes what you really need isn’t a FAQ link it’s someone who actually gives a damn.
Food for Thought
We’re living in a world where it’s becoming more and more difficult to know if we’re talking to a person or a well-trained bot. And yeah, some bots are great. But in moments that matter especially when you’re about to spend your money a human touch makes all the difference.
So maybe the future isn’t humans vs. AI. Maybe the best version is humans + AI, working together with the AI doing the boring stuff, and the humans doing the human stuff.
What do you think?
Do you prefer human replies when shopping online? Or are you cool with fast-but-generic AI answers?