Kayako

Kayako is a customer service help desk that in 2026 repositioned around AI-first ticket resolution with its "Kay" agent under the banner Kayako One. The platform unifies email, live chat, and self-service into a shared help desk, then layers an AI agent that resolves routine tickets automatically so support teams scale without adding headcount.

Historically a per-agent help desk, Kayako moved to a resolution-based model where the AI agent handles common questions end to end and human agents focus on complex cases. It provides a shared inbox, multichannel conversations, a knowledge base for deflection, and customer context so agents see history across channels in one view.

Kayako One is priced around a flat monthly fee plus a per-ticket charge for each conversation the Kay AI agent successfully resolves, aligning cost to automated value rather than seats. That model suits growing support operations that want AI deflection baked in, though high-volume teams should model per-resolution costs carefully. It competes with Zendesk, Freshdesk, and Help Scout as a simpler, AI-centric alternative for small and mid-sized support teams.