Zendesk AI Agents Advanced – built for results
Agentic AI for next-generation customer service
Zendesk Advanced AI Agents solve requests end-to-end, with real agentic reasoning, networked knowledge and API actions directly in Zendesk.
We bring your AI agents live in 6 weeks and scale to other channels and use cases.
What is so special about the AI Agents Advanced?
With Advanced AI Agents, Zendesk has introduced a new generation of autonomous AI. In contrast to AI Agents Essential, which provide generative answers from the help centre, Advanced Agents can act independently: they combine reasoning with API access, structure processes themselves and resolve customer concerns directly in Zendesk
So instead of conducting rigid dialogues, the agents understand concerns, plan the necessary steps independently and resolve them in real time – including API calls and ticket actions within Zendesk.
Companies that use AI AgentsAdvanced fully automate 39% to 66% of their standard requests while achieving up to 7% higher customer satisfaction.
The 4 core principles
Before Advanced AI Agents can solve requests independently, they need to understand what they are allowed to know, what goals they can pursue and what actions they can perform.
Zendesk describes this architecture with four core principles that make the difference between a simple chatbot and a fully-fledged AI agent.
Knowledge: The agent accesses the Zendesk Help Centre, external websites or CSV files. All content is automatically synchronised so that knowledge is always up to date.
Use Cases: Automations can be freely defined – for example for order status, returns or contract changes. The agent carries them out independently and only escalates to a human colleague if necessary.
Procedures: Processes are described in natural language. The AI agent structures these processes itself, checks data for completeness and validates inputs before processing them.
Actions: As a native part of Zendesk, the AI uses existing macros, ticket fields, routing rules and API connections to solve tasks.
What advanced AI agents can do
Channels
Messaging: In messaging channels, the AI agent works completely agent-based. It recognises requests based on context, plans multi-stage processes and executes API actions independently – for example for order status, returns, FAQ requests or routing.
E-Mail: Emails are automatically classified and prioritised. The agent answers standard cases independently or forwards complex enquiries to the appropriate teams.
Voice: The autonomous voice agent, developed in partnership with PolyAI, will soon be rolled out. It handles up to 50% of calls – for PIN resets or delivery status queries, for example – and therefore significantly reduces the workload of first-level support.
Automation & Procedures
No more scripting: Admins describe the process in plain text, the agent identifies the required data, queries it, calls APIs and decides for itself when to escalate
Result: up to 66% of standard requests completely resolved (Zendesk Blog).
Knowledge & Personalisation
- Direct access to Zendesk Guide, websites or CSV files – automatic synchronisation
- Tonality and length of responses can be defined per brand
- Supports over 90 languages, including context-sensitive translation
API- & system integrations
- Access to shop, ERP and logistics systems.
- Example: DHL or Shopify API for order status.
- Update ERP data or automate returns processes.
- Bidirectional actions are standard – significantly reduce manual tickets.
Reporting & Transparency
- Real-time dashboard shows automated solutions, top use cases and gaps
- CSAT, ticket volume and ROI can be measured via Zendesk Explore
- – 35% ticket volume (Jigsaw 2024)
- + 93% CSAT (Lush 2024)
No-Code Builder
The new Action Builder (currently in the Early Access programme) enables visual creation of processes without code (e.g. “If order open → API DHL → Send tracking link”).
Availability
- Zendesk AI Agents Advanced require an extended instance with API access and are available for Zendesk Suite Enterprise or higher.
- Activation of the Zendesk AI Add-on (Advanced) required: Includes Copilot, AI Agents (Essential + Advanced), the Flow Builder and AI analysis functions.
Important for DACH companies
- GDPR-compliant data processing: All interactions and data flows run within the Zendesk Cloud (AWS EU Central).
- Certified implementation: Leafworks is an official Zendesk partner for the Advanced AI Agents in the DACH region and provides support with setup, customising and rollout.
Typical use cases
Order Status: Authenticate order, provide tracking link and delivery date automatically, for 66% fewer manual enquiries.
Returns & label: Check conditions, generate label via shop API, finalise process.
FAQ & Policies: Automatic responses with a brand-compliant tone; sensitive topics are handled according to defined rules.
Contracts & account changes: Check contract data, execute macros, customise fields.
Email automation: Classify incoming messages, recognise priorities and answer standard cases automatically.
Companies like Jigsaw and Motel Rocks reduced ticket volume by 35% to 50%, while simultaneously driving up CSAT by up to 9%.
Security and control
Zendesk AI agents work within clearly defined boundaries. Reasoning Controls allow you to track every decision path – you can see how the agent arrives at its answer and can adapt rules or behaviour in a targeted manner.
With Hybrid Flows, your agents combine generative answers with predefined dialogue paths – they react flexibly to the context, ask specific questions and always remain within your business logic.
Instructions allow you to control which information is used or excluded – such as sensitive data or price information. Zendesk analyses all AI interactions for quality and accuracy so that every action remains transparent and verifiable.
The AI Agents in action
In our webinar “Zendesk Advanced AI Agents in the fact check” we show how the AI agents work, from setup to practice.
- Integrate knowledge sources (Zendesk Guide, website crawler, CSV upload)
- Create a WISMO use case in natural language
- Automate workflows with API calls and ticket actions
Please note that the video is in German, English subtitles are available.
Our roadmap: Go live quickly, scale securely
A typical project is live in about 6 weeks:
After the launch, we continue to support you – with regular performance reviews, health checks and additional use cases. This way, your AI agents stay up to date and grow with your requirements.
Leafworks by your side
Leafworks is a Zendesk Premier Partner and the only certified AI Agent partner in the DACH region. With over 900 successfully implemented projects, we know what is important if AI is to work in practice: customised processes with clearly measurable added value, fast time-to-value and results that noticeably reduce the workload in everyday life.
We realise what you need and deliver what we promise:
- Comprehensive expertise in AI automation & process design
- Own add-ons, APIs and middleware for fast, customised integration
- Licensed implementation of Zendesk AI Agents Advanced
- Long-term partnership at eye level: We are on and stay by your side.
What our customers say
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Diana ZimmermannAnnanow Group AG
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Philipp SchumacherIntravis GmbH
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gerome KörbelYuma GmbH
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jürgen KönigHäfele SE & Co KG
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Susanne HeizHead of Service at JobCloud AG
We are here to help!
AI in customer service is absolutely not a plug-and-play topic. For Advanced AI Agents to create real added value in practice, you need a well thought-out concept that combines short-term wins with a view of the big picture.
As THE Zendesk DACH partner, we stand for maximum Zendesk expertise, customised implementation and strategic support. AI agents do more than just solving tickets; everyone wins thanks to shorter response times, clearer processes and happier teams.
Whether you are just thinking about which tasks can be automated or already have specific use cases that you want to implement – we are happy to help you get started, implement them pragmatically and successfully and scale them securely.
Robert Cwicinski
Zendesk AI expert
- Zendesk AI Agents Advanced
- Zendesk Copilot
- Integrations (CRM, ERP)
- Automation
- Digital Transformation
- Custom MVPs
FAQ Zendesk AI Agents Advanced
There are two main levels: Essential and Advanced.
- Essential is included in the standard suite/support plan and provides generative responses via your help centre articles – ideal for basic automation.
- Advanced is an add-on and includes all the features of Essential plus hybrid conversation flows, comprehensive API access, integration with external systems and deep analytics – intended for higher automation requirements.
You can find out more on our Zendesk AI overview page.
AI agents work autonomously: they interact directly with customers, understand their concerns, plan the next steps independently and solve the case completely – e.g. via chat, email or voice.
AI Copilot, on the other hand, is assistive: it supports your support staff in the background, suggests answers, summarises conversations and can perform simple actions, but always remains under human control.
In short: AI Agents automate, Copilot supports – together they form the foundation of an end-to-end, AI-supported customer service system.
Chatbots follow predefined flows. Advanced AI agents think in a goal-orientated (agentic) way: They understand concerns, plan steps, use APIs and solve cases independently.
Yes – currently via the Flow Builder, fully agent-based according to the Zendesk roadmap soon available.
Yes, over 30 languages are possible with Essential, with Advanced up to 79+ languages (depending on the setup) and different tonalities can be set for each brand.
Yes, with the Advanced level in particular, direct integration with tickets, macros and ticket fields is possible – without external workflows.
Yes, if endpoints are available. The Advanced AI Agents enable data retrieval and actions via external systems.
What is now being further developed by Zendesk as “AI Agents Advanced” is based on the AI-supported Ultimate platform, which has been merged into Zendesk.
