The following is a letter to the editor that I wrote, which appeared in The New York Times, about AI chatbots:
Oct. 31, 2026
To the Editor:
Re “Customer Service Chatbots Must Be Stopped,” by Samuel A.A. Levine, the commissioner of the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (Opinion guest essay, Oct. 22):
Mr. Levine articulated the frustration that many of us feel regarding customer service chatbots, but his pledge to use his office to address this vexing problem is what makes his essay so significant.
In an era in which artificial intelligence is rapidly making inroads into virtually all aspects of society, it sometimes feels as if A.I. is taking over too much, too fast. A.I. has the capacity to be an asset in so many realms, but when it comes to an aggrieved consumer who is simply seeking to address a problem with a service provider, it is a human voice, human comprehension and human empathy that are needed, not an A.I. chatbot.
The exasperation we feel when yelling at a chatbot on the phone or online because it does not grasp what we need and does not have the ability to solve our specific situation does no one any good. In fact, we often walk away feeling more aggravated than when we began. That irritation does not benefit the consumer or the service provider.
Mr. Levine’s desire to take action in New York City and curb the A.I. customer service chatbot crisis is commendable. Others should follow his lead.
N. Aaron Troodler
Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
