STORY: IKEA has assembled its own AI chatbot.

Dubbed ‘Billie’, after one of the store's famous bookshelves, the software is taking over routine customer queries.

The Swedish furniture giant says it handled 47% of such inquiries to call centres over the past two years.

But the company says that doesn’t currently mean job losses.

Instead it’s retraining call centre workers to become interior design advisers.

Some 8,500 workers have made the switch since 2021.

The move comes as IKEA expands its interior design service to the U.S. and UK, after launching it in other countries.

Customers pay for advice via video call, and can order floorplans and other design aids.

Sales of products and services through the system hit $1.4 billion over the 2022 financial year.

The investment in digital services matches rivals like Wayfair, which has launched its own in-store digital design studio.

And for now at least, it seems staffers don’t have to fear that Billie the chatbot is going to take their jobs.

IKEA says it’s committed to reskilling workers and creating new roles.