Can AI Help Remote Workers? Experimental Evidence from a Chat Support Tool

Last registered on July 28, 2025
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Pre-Trial

Trial Information

General Information

Title
Can AI Help Remote Workers? Experimental Evidence from a Chat Support Tool
RCT ID
AEARCTR-0016421
Initial registration date
July 21, 2025

Initial registration date is when the trial was registered.

It corresponds to when the registration was submitted to the Registry to be reviewed for publication.

First published
July 28, 2025, 8:55 AM EDT

First published corresponds to when the trial was first made public on the Registry after being reviewed.

Locations

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Primary Investigator

Name
Cem Ozguzel
Affiliation
Paris School of Economics
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Other Primary Investigator(s)

PI Name
Cevat Giray Aksoy
PI Affiliation
EBRD and King's College London
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Additional Trial Information

Status
In development
Start date
2025-07-31
End date
2026-05-01
Keywords
Labor
Additional Keywords
Remote Work, AI Assistance, Job Performance, Employee Support, Call Centers
JEL code(s)
M12, M54, J24, L84
Secondary IDs
Prior work
This trial does not extend or rely on any prior RCTs.
Abstract
This randomised controlled trial evaluates the impact of an AI-driven chat assistance tool on the performance of remote call center agents. The tool provides real-time answers to job-related questions, helping agents address queries more effectively. We randomly assign 500 agents into two groups: 250 receive access to the chat tool, and 250 continue without it. The trial will run for three months and assess differences in key performance indicators and employee perceptions between groups.
External Link(s)

Registration Citation

Citation
Aksoy, Cevat Giray and Cem Ozguzel. 2025. "Can AI Help Remote Workers? Experimental Evidence from a Chat Support Tool." AEA RCT Registry. July 28. https://doi.org/10.1257/rct.16421-1.0
Sponsors & Partners
Experimental Details

Interventions

Intervention(s)
Chat Assistance Tool Access: Agents in the treatment group will receive access to an AI-powered chat assistance tool embedded in their workflow. The tool provides instant, task-relevant information to support query resolution. Agents in the control group will work under existing conditions without access to the tool. Performance will be tracked through administrative data, and surveys will assess perceptions and satisfaction.
Intervention Start Date
2025-08-04
Intervention End Date
2025-11-03

Primary Outcomes

Primary Outcomes (end points)
Production Outcomes
- Number of calls handled per hour
- Talk time per call (in seconds)
- Call duration per call (in seconds)
Service Quality Outcomes
- Customer rating (from post-call surveys)
- Random audit rating (based on internal quality assessments)
Primary Outcomes (explanation)

Secondary Outcomes

Secondary Outcomes (end points)
Survey-based Measures (from baseline and endline surveys administered to all agents):
- Self-reported stress levels and mental health
- Overall job satisfaction and happiness
- Frequency and perceived usefulness of AI tool usage at work
- Use of AI tools outside work (e.g. for personal tasks, information, or support)

Secondary Outcomes (explanation)

Experimental Design

Experimental Design
A randomised controlled trial with individual-level randomisation among 500 call center agents. Half will be assigned to the treatment group with access to the chat tool, the other half to the control group.
Experimental Design Details
Not available
Randomization Method
Based on the odd/even number of agents’ employee ID numbers.
Randomization Unit
Individual agent
Was the treatment clustered?
No

Experiment Characteristics

Sample size: planned number of clusters
500
Sample size: planned number of observations
500
Sample size (or number of clusters) by treatment arms
250 controls, 250 treatment
Minimum detectable effect size for main outcomes (accounting for sample design and clustering)
Supporting Documents and Materials
IRB

Institutional Review Boards (IRBs)

IRB Name
King's College London
IRB Approval Date
2025-07-21
IRB Approval Number
MRA-24/25-51122
Analysis Plan