Singtel Partners With Sierra To Transform Customer Service Using Advanced Agentic AI

Singtel Group announced a strategic partnership with Sierra on March 4, 2026, to revolutionize its customer engagement through agentic AI. This collaboration integrates advanced conversational technology across both chat and voice channels to provide more personalized user experiences. The move aligns with the group's broader commitment to digital transformation and increased employee productivity. The centerpiece of this initiative is the overhaul of Shirley, Singtel's virtual assistant. Unlike traditional chatbots that follow rigid scripts, the new Sierra-powered Shirley uses agentic AI to reason through problems and execute transactions. The system is specifically fine-tuned to understand local expressions and Singlish, making interactions feel more intuitive for Singaporean customers.

Early results from a ten-week pilot program have shown significant operational improvements. Shirley successfully managed over 70,000 cases, resolving 73 percent of home troubleshooting queries without human intervention. Furthermore, 76 percent of roaming sign-up requests were completed autonomously, demonstrating the system's ability to handle high-volume service tasks efficiently.

Beyond inbound support, Singtel plans to deploy voice-based AI agents for outbound sales calls in the near future. These agents will operate within strict governance and compliance standards to ensure professional and helpful customer outreach. This expansion aims to support sales transactions while maintaining a high standard of service quality and brand trust.

CEO Ng Tian Chong noted that using AI allows human agents to focus on complex cases where their expertise is most needed. By empowering the workforce with these digital tools, Singtel aims to redefine customer relationships for the AI era. Sierra CEO Bret Taylor expressed excitement about Singtel being a pioneer in applied AI within the communications technology sector.

Looking ahead, Singtel intends to offer these AI capabilities to its enterprise clients. This will allow businesses to leverage the same advanced agentic technology to improve their own customer service ecosystems. This strategy reinforces Singtel's role as an adopter, provider, and enabler of intelligent connectivity solutions worldwide.