Passage Previous waves of customer-service technology, including email and those pesky voice menus, stoked concerns of job losses…

Question

Passage:

Previous waves of customer-service technology, including email and those pesky voice menus, stoked concerns of job losses, only for them to fail to materialise. AI could yet prove different. And if it does, its effects may be salutary. Human agents could be freed up to spend more time on creative and rewarding tasks, like using feedback to make products and services better—and thereby spend less time listening to irate customers!

Which of the following conclusions, made on the basis of the given passage, is/are correct?

1. The advent of new customer-service technology had invariably sparked fears about job losses.

2. Often it is found that instead of job losses, alternative channels for employee engagement are discovered while certain tasks are replaced by technology.

3. The advent of technology inevitably leads to stressful outcomes.

Select the answer using the code given below.

1. A. 1 and 3
2. B. 2 only
3. C. 3 only
4. D. 1 and 2 (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — 1 and 2

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is Option D.

Key Points

• Correct conclusions are 1 and 2.
• 1 — the passage notes each new wave of customer-service technology sparked job-loss fears.
• 2 — those fears failed to materialise; instead work shifted to more rewarding tasks, i.e. alternative engagement was found.

Additional Information

• Conclusion 3 is wrong — the passage's tone is optimistic ("effects may be salutary"), so it does not claim technology *inevitably* leads to stressful outcomes. Hence 1 and 2 → Option D.