Oracle's AI-Enhanced Support Portal Sparks Customer Frustration

Oracle's latest support portal, known as My Oracle Support (MOS), has been met with significant dissatisfaction from both customers and support engineers since its debut in early December. The new AI-powered platform was intended to streamline support interactions, but instead, it has introduced numerous issues that hamper basic functions like retrieving old tickets, accessing patches, and viewing release schedules.

Unmet Expectations and Technical Difficulties

Oracle has yet to comment on the ongoing problems. Previously, in November, Greg Parikh, Oracle’s vice president for information development and operations, highlighted that MOS features include AI-driven interactions, simplified navigation, enhanced search capabilities, and better knowledge access. However, many users and support professionals report that these supposed improvements have made the support experience more chaotic.

A support professional told The Register:
"Oracle's use of AI seems to be covering customer needs poorly. Support note numbers now return unsatisfactory results, automated service requests can’t be created, and patches are less visible because indices have been deleted."

Search and Personalization Issues

The German Oracle user group (DOAF) pointed out that search unreliability persists, with important notes like the Exadata Master Note (Doc-ID 888828.1) failing to show up in results. Additionally, users have lost their favorites and personalization settings during the portal switch. Broken links and limited options for patch searches compound these frustrations.

User Experiences on Reddit

Reddit users have shared their struggles, reporting that document IDs, such as 888.1 and 555.1 (related to database patches), now produce errors like KA912. Many find themselves wasting time reconstructing information previously accessible with ease. As one user lamented,
"Even finding the release schedule required multiple logins and searches. The interface is worse; the right panel, which could be hidden, now shrinks the view."

Analyst Insights and Industry Perspective

Eric Guyer, a founding partner at Remend, criticizes the portal’s shift from comprehensive access to a more minimalist, chat-bot-driven interface. He questioned whether this change is a bug or a feature, suggesting it might reflect Oracle's broader strategic focus.
"Longtime users will wonder where everything went. It might be a problem or just a sign that Oracle is focusing on other priorities," he said.

Iain Saunderson of Spinnaker Support echoed concerns about onboarding difficulties and lack of user consultation, noting that early feedback indicates the portal's failures could hinder third-party support options.

Broader Context: Oracle's AI and Cloud Strategy

This support portal controversy coincides with Oracle's aggressive push into AI and cloud computing. The company announced a $300 billion cloud contract with OpenAI, but analysts warn that Oracle may need to incur significant debt—potentially up to $100 billion—to build adequate AI infrastructure. Since the announcement, Oracle’s stock has dropped by about a third from its peak in September, reflecting investor unease amid questions about the cost and execution of its AI ambitions.

---

Note: This article compiles recent user reports, industry expert opinions, and strategic insights into Oracle’s evolving support platform and corporate direction.