Science & Tech · Big Tech & Internet · 10 hrs ago
UK public bodies face rising workloads from AI-generated complaints
UK public bodies are receiving more AI-written complaints and requests.
The messages go to councils, courts, schools and other organisations, and can cover issues such as missed bin collections, care services and planning applications.
Tools such as ChatGPT make it easier for people to produce formal-sounding correspondence quickly.
Staff say the messages can be long, repetitive and harder to handle, even when they include unrelated points or demands.
Councils say the extra work comes without extra funding, while their resources are already stretched.
The increase is adding pressure to public services that must review and respond to the messages.
The information rights watchdog found that many public authorities received more requests in 2025.
UK public bodies are reporting rising workloads as they handle more AI-generated complaints, letters and legal challenges.
The correspondence can take users moments to create but much longer for staff to review and answer.
Local authorities say complaints cover issues including adult social care, missed bin collections, planning applications and parking appeals.
The Information Commissioner’s Office found many public authorities received more requests in 2025.
Public bodies say the extra correspondence is adding pressure when resources are already stretched.
- Who
- UK public bodies, including local authorities, courts and schools, are dealing with the correspondence. Residents and other users are sending AI-generated complaints and requests.
- What
- Organisations report rising volumes of AI-generated correspondence that increase staff workloads.
- When
- The increase has been reported over the past couple of years. An MP’s office caseworker said it began as a trickle in 2024.
- Where
- The United Kingdom.
- Why
- Generative AI tools make it quick to produce formal-sounding correspondence, which can take staff substantial time to review and answer.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Hollie Wickens said AI-generated correspondence began as a trickle.
The Information Commissioner’s Office found that many public authorities received more requests.
Generative AI tools including ChatGPT, Claude, Copilot and Gemini grew rapidly.
- Caseworker estimate
- Half the emails received by Hollie Wickens’s office are some form of AI
- Local government lawyers represented
- 5,600
- ICO finding
- Many public authorities received more requests in 2025
- Named council
- Enfield council
What people are saying
It started as a trickle in 2024 and now it’s an onslaught.
Half the emails we receive are some form of AI
Obviously AI is a wonderful tool that enables people to do things very, very quickly and it can make a complaint sound incredibly professional, very formal.
It’s a real problem