---
title: "HubSpot’s Noel O’Reilly on embracing AI in your customer support strategy - The Intercom Blog"
description: "HubSpot’s Director of Customer Support for EMEA, Noel O’Reilly, discusses the impact of AI on customer service in an Intercom podcast. He argues that AI should automate repetitive tasks, allowing support reps to focus on complex issues and build deeper customer connections, while gaining skills like helping customers optimize automation. O’Reilly emphasizes involving frontline staff in AI implementation to create a robust knowledge base and intuitive automation flows. He notes that maintaining high-quality customer experience requires new evaluation methods, as bot-influenced CSAT may be less relevant for high-performing teams. For small support teams, O’Reilly recommends starting with small AI projects, feeding bots from documentation, and iterating, as AI creates space for high-value work."
---

# HubSpot’s Noel O’Reilly on embracing AI in your customer support strategy - The Intercom Blog

[Intercom](https://yomu.fyi/company/intercom) · Oct 5, 2026

**Type:** Explainer

## Summary

HubSpot’s Director of Customer Support for EMEA, Noel O’Reilly, discusses the impact of AI on customer service in an Intercom podcast. He argues that AI should automate repetitive tasks, allowing support reps to focus on complex issues and build deeper customer connections, while gaining skills like helping customers optimize automation. O’Reilly emphasizes involving frontline staff in AI implementation to create a robust knowledge base and intuitive automation flows. He notes that maintaining high-quality customer experience requires new evaluation methods, as bot-influenced CSAT may be less relevant for high-performing teams. For small support teams, O’Reilly recommends starting with small AI projects, feeding bots from documentation, and iterating, as AI creates space for high-value work.

## Context

Customer support is experiencing a rapid shift due to AI, with businesses racing to integrate the technology. HubSpot’s Director of Customer Support for EMEA discusses how AI and automation affect customer service and HubSpot’s AI strategy.

## Approach / What changed

HubSpot’s approach involves starting with small AI projects, feeding bots from existing documentation, involving frontline staff in implementation, and iterating to build a capable support team focusing on high-value work.

## Takeaways

- AI should automate repetitive tasks to free support reps for complex issues and deeper customer connections, while reps gain skills like helping customers optimize automation strategies.
- Involving frontline staff in AI implementation helps create a robust knowledge base and more intuitive automation flows.
- For small support teams, starting with small AI projects, feeding bots from documentation, and iterating can quickly build a capable team focusing on high-value work.

## FAQ

### How can AI be integrated without harming customer experience?

By automating repetitive tasks, AI frees support reps to focus on complex issues and build deeper customer connections. Involving frontline staff in implementation ensures a robust knowledge base and intuitive automation flows, maintaining high-quality CX.

### What is the role of human reps in an AI-driven team?

Human reps focus on complex issues and meaningful conversations, while gaining skills like helping customers optimize automation strategies. AI handles repetitive tasks, creating space for deeper human-led interactions.

### How should small support teams approach AI?

Start small by feeding bots from existing documentation, iterate, and build from there. This approach allows small teams to quickly create a capable support function focusing on high-value work.

**Tags:** [AI](https://yomu.fyi/topic/ai), [Automation](https://yomu.fyi/topic/automation), [Customer Support](https://yomu.fyi/topic/customer-support)

- Source: [Intercom](https://www.intercom.com/blog/videos/hubspot-noel-oreilly-ai-customer-support-strategy)
- Source URL: https://www.intercom.com/blog/videos/hubspot-noel-oreilly-ai-customer-support-strategy
- Ingested by Yomu: 2026-10-05T18:00:50.377Z

[Read original post](https://www.intercom.com/blog/videos/hubspot-noel-oreilly-ai-customer-support-strategy)