The human role in AI: How Newcastle Theatre Royal redesigned their CX operating model
Learn how to scale AI by redesigning work around what AI does best and where human judgement, expertise and empathy matter most.
How AI is reshaping service operations, workforce strategy and the human role - with practical lessons from Newcastle Theatre Royal.
AI is often framed as a way to shrink the contact centre. The reality is more interesting: AI is changing the operating model itself.
In this thought-leadership webinar, Five9's Sam Counterman will set the macro context for how AI is reshaping customer service, workforce strategy and the role of the human agent. He will then join Jonny Roxburgh-Cowell, Head of Business Optimisation & Projects at Newcastle Theatre Royal, for a fireside chat grounded in real operational experience.
Jonny will share how bringing voice, email and chat together created a clearer view of patron journeys, and how AI insights surfaced the recurring reasons customers make contact - including ticket exchanges, accessibility requests, membership queries and seating issues. That intelligence is helping the theatre identify where routine demand can be handled differently while protecting the human moments that need judgement, context and empathy.
The discussion will explore the evolution of the 'super agent', what leaders can learn from early AI adoption, how to bridge the empathy gap between AI and people, and how success measures can move beyond containment and CSAT towards resolution, lower customer effort and deeper loyalty.
Attendees will learn:
- How AI is changing contact centre operating models and shifting human agents towards higher-value, judgement-led work.
- How AI-driven insight can reveal the real drivers of customer demand and inform where to automate, redesign or elevate the human role.
- How to scale AI without losing trust - preserving context across handoffs and measuring success through resolution, effort and loyalty.
Speakers
Jonny Roxburgh Cowell
Head of Business Optimisation & Projects
Newcastle Theatre Royal
Jonny Roxburgh-Cowell is Head of Business Optimisation & Projects at Newcastle Theatre Royal, where he leads digital transformation, business systems, data, technology, and organizational improvement initiatives. With responsibility spanning IT, business intelligence, project delivery, process optimization, and operational change, Jonny works across the organization to improve efficiency, enhance decision-making, and support strategic objectives. His work includes delivering major infrastructure projects, implementing new technologies, strengthening governance and data practices, and helping teams use information more effectively to improve both organizational performance and customer experience.
Sam Counterman
SVP of GTM Technology & AI Operations
Five9
Sam Counterman leads GTM Technology and AI Operations at Five9, where he is building the company's go-to-market technologies into one connected, intelligent growth engine. He unites the digital, marketing technology, and sales technology teams under a single operating model. His focus is simplifying the stack, connecting data across the customer journey, and embedding AI directly into the workflows marketers and sellers use every day. Sam's philosophy: human where it matters, AI where it helps.
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