U.S. insurer Guardian Life has signed a multi-year partnership with Sierra, the AI agent startup run by Bret Taylor, to handle about 1 million customer service calls a year. Most involve checking dental benefits, and the agents also handle payments and claim status questions. Guardian says the goal is faster answers for customers.

U.S. insurer Guardian Life is handing some of its busiest customer service work to AI agents from Sierra, the startup run by former Salesforce co-chief executive Bret Taylor. The two companies signed a multi-year partnership, Guardian said Thursday.

What will Guardian Life use Sierra's AI agents for?

Under the deal, Guardian will use Sierra for about 1 million calls a year. Most of them involve checking dental benefits, but the agents will also handle payments and questions about claim status. Guardian says the aim is faster answers for customers. It has not shared any targets or financial terms.

“No one should have to sit on hold to check on a claim or confirm dental benefits,” Taylor said. He is Sierra’s chief executive and co-founder.

Why is Guardian Life adding AI to customer service?

Michael Prestileo, Guardian’s chief strategy officer, said the arrangement would let staff focus on the cases where “human judgment and connection matter most.”

The deal is Guardian’s third AI partnership in roughly a year. In July, the company signed a seven-year agreement with HCLTech, which is taking over Guardian’s India center and nearly 2,000 of its staff. In February, Guardian invested in Avantos, an AI platform for financial advisers.

Sierra launched in February 2024 and says it works with 46% of the Fortune 50. The company raised $950 million at a $15 billion valuation in May. Sierra has argued that AI agents should be paid for results rather than per seat, a pricing model that is drawing attention as competition heats up. Salesforce, which Taylor once co-ran, is buying Fin for $3.6 billion, a sign that rivals are consolidating.

Sierra has also been adding features quickly. Last month, it teamed up with Stripe so its agents can take card payments during calls. It also partnered with Meta on an open standard for personal AI agents.

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