Davos 2026: Freshworks says AI agents are driving higher customer satisfaction than humans

Freshworks is increasingly using artificial intelligence to reshape customer support and internal operations, with AI agents now delivering higher customer satisfaction than human-led interactions, according to CEO and President Dennis Woodside.

Speaking to CNBC-TV18 on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Woodside said Freshworks’ AI tools are enabling customer service and IT teams to operate more efficiently while helping businesses scale faster.

“The AI that we provide allows customer support and IT teams to get their work done much faster and allows our customers to grow more efficiently,” Woodside said, adding that ease of use and faster deployment continue to be key differentiators for the company.

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Freshworks’ AI platform, Freddy, has gained significant traction since launch, with more than 6,000 customers paying for AI-powered solutions. According to Woodside, clients are using AI to handle between 50% and 60% of inbound queries, allowing human agents to focus on more complex, high-value interactions.

In several cases, companies have extended the use of AI agents beyond support, deploying them as revenue-generating sales tools. Woodside noted that this flexibility has helped customers experiment with new business models while improving service outcomes.

Internally, Freshworks has embedded AI deeply across its operations, with more than 70 AI tools deployed across functions such as customer support, recruiting and employee services. The company processes around 10,000 job applications each week and uses AI to shortlist candidates and accelerate hiring decisions.

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“AI has completely transformed how we do business,” Woodside said, noting that these efficiencies have contributed to improved profitability and faster revenue growth.

As Freshworks expands beyond its traditional small and medium business base into larger enterprises, Woodside said the company’s modern, cloud-native products give it an advantage over older enterprise software platforms. Unlike traditional deployments that can take months, Freshworks’ tools are designed for quicker implementation and require fewer resources to operate.

Large Indian enterprises such as Tata Consumer and Mahindra are already using Freshworks’ platform to engage millions of customers. The company now serves more than 75,000 businesses globally, including around 10,000 mid-market and enterprise clients. Woodside said most of Freshworks’ recent growth has been driven by these larger accounts.