ChatGPT and service: opportunities, challenges, and research directions

Abstract

Purpose

Since its inception, ChatGPT has been disruptively transforming how businesses operate along the whole value chain. The service sector is no exception from these technological advances. Given its potential and significance, five major areas whereby ChatGPT has great potential in services management are identified and discussed in terms of opportunities, challenges and research agendas: service marketing, customer experience, digital services, cost-effective service excellence, and ethical and corporate digital responsibility.

Design/methodology/approach

By adopting an expert-oriented perspective approach, the study leverages the expertise of 11 knowledgeable contributors from the fields of service and information systems to foresee the implications of ChatGPT in services. The article comprehensively examines the current body of literature and practices in ChatGPT and services and proposes a forward-thinking research agenda for service scholars and practitioners.

Findings

The contributors recognize that ChatGPT has the potential to transform service offerings significantly, enrich customer experiences, optimize service costs, and contribute to societal advantages through improved digital services. However, they also acknowledge the disruption ChatGPT may cause to traditional service practices, including the potential loss of human touch in services, challenges to privacy and security, and the potential negative outcomes affecting service consumers and employees in terms of inequality, biases, and misuse of ChatGPT.

Originality/value

This article introduces a groundbreaking investigation into the use of ChatGPT in services management. The originality is demonstrated by examining the potential and obstacles to applying ChatGPT in different service domains. In addition, this research serves as a guiding light for subsequent studies by suggesting an in-depth research agenda, including understanding the design and optimization of ChatGPT in the customer service journey, the role of ChatGPT in assisting service organizations to promote responsible services, and implications of ChatGPT on service stakeholders.

Citation

Sigala, M., Ooi, K.-B., Tan, G.W.-H., Aw, E.C.-X., Cham, T.-H., Dwivedi, Y.K., Kunz, W.H., Letheren, K., Mishra, A., Russell-Bennett, R. and Wirtz, J. (2024), "ChatGPT and service: opportunities, challenges, and research directions", Journal of Service Theory and Practice, Vol. 34 No. 5, pp. 726-737. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSTP-11-2023-0292