What They Did
Dukaan was an Indian e-commerce startup providing online store setup and customer support services for small businesses.
How LLMs Killed Them
CEO Summit Shah replaced 90% of customer support staff with an in-house AI chatbot, becoming one of the most visible and controversial early examples of AI workforce replacement. He proudly shared the results on social media, sparking intense debate.
Timeline
- July 2023: Replaced 90% of support staff. Customer support costs cut 85%. Wait times drastically reduced.
- CEO defended the move as "tough but necessary."
- Significant public backlash followed over customer dissatisfaction with AI quality.
By the Numbers
- 90% of support staff replaced
- Support costs cut 85%
- Became a symbol of the AI replacement debate
- One of the earliest and most public examples