This shift is described clearly in this article:
https://www.tmcnet.com/topics/articl...vices-2026.htm. It explains that modern chatbots are no longer FAQ widgets but workflow assistants. These assistants can retrieve approved knowledge, execute actions in business systems, and hand off to humans when risk or complexity increases. What stood out to me is the idea that generative AI did not replace automation but enhanced it. The assistant behaves more like an operational teammate than a scripted tool. That explains why expectations around chatbots have changed so much. The article makes it clear that this is now the practical baseline in 2026.