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On July 8, a GO train rider tweeted their frustration at the train service after a Coldplay concert at Rogers Stadium in Downsview, pointing out that they had to leave the concert early to catch the last train northbound. The uncharacteristically peppy response from GO sparked speculation that it was AI generated. The post has since been deleted.

In its apology the next day, Metrolinx confirmed that a “vendor” operating the account had used AI to draft the response the customer’s concerns, adding that the vendor had been directed to not use AI under any circumstances.

According to , the work for contact centre is being handled by , the Canadian wing of a global company with headquarters in Bengaluru, India, through a contract awarded on Sept. 24, 2024. The contract, according to those documents, was worth $28 million.

“As part of Metrolinx’s work to expand transit and Presto services, we changed the Contact Centre for GO Transit, UP Express, and Presto into a single, integrated model to improve the customer experience,” said Metrolinx spokesperson Andrea Ernesaks, in a statement.

Ernesaks added that the new centralized system means “customers have a more efficient and consistent service experience that is easier, faster, and more accessible than before.”

“In alignment with this change, Metrolinx partnered with a third-party specialist that operates contact centres across Canada.”

Ernesaks also said the employees were told of the changes two years ago and were given “career transition support.�

Metrolinx did not answer questions about whether HGS Canada’s employees for the new Contact Centre live in Ontario or if it would ever use AI to replace customer-facing roles.

The Star reached out to HGS Canada for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.

Anne Marie Aikins, the former chief spokesperson for Metrolinx who now runs her own communications firm, said the Contact Centre was the front line for customer concerns at the provincial transit agency.

“It was, from my point of view, a very valuable way to monitor the effectiveness of your services, because what you heard from people really told you a lot,” she said.

She added that the fact the Contact Centre workers were employees of Metrolinx in Ontario meant they were familiar with GO Train operations: “They knew the service — they took the service.” 

Jason Allen, a former GO Contact Centre trainer, said that during his time with Metrolinx from 2010 to 2017 jobs at the unionized centre were considered stable employment.

“People were paid a pretty reasonable wage and the working conditions were pretty great,” said Allen. “I know several people who were laid off from the contact centre who’d been there for more than 20 years.”

“That resulted in employees that were really, really committed to doing a good job,” he said.

With the world increasingly using AI in day-to-day business, Aikins said she’s not against its use to modernize the transit agency’s communications services.

“But, the delivery has to be human,” said Aikins. “You can’t take the human beings out of public service.”