Research among over 2000 people and the Legal Ombudsman’s (LeO) own case files has revealed the growing influence of AI on complaints with more than half of people who have made, or considered making, a formal complaint about a regulated service in the last year using AI as part of their complaints journey,
A newly published report by the LeO AI and complaints: removing barriers, reinforcing divides?, suggests AI is becoming an increasingly important part of the complaints journey. 79% of those who used AI to help decide whether to complain said it influenced their decision, although more were influenced not to complain than to proceed. 51% of the Legal Ombudsman complaint files reviewed showed indicators of AI use. AI appeared to have a positive impact in 33% of those cases, but a negative impact in 35%. 70% of under-35s who had made or considered a complaint had used AI, compared with only 16% of 55 to 75-year-olds.
The report is accompanied by two new Spotlight articles one for service providers on responding effectively to AI-assisted complaints and another which is consumer-focused and has issued a AI prompt template to help clients articulate concerns clearly.
The LeO said the research suggests some consumers may decide not to pursue a complaint based on the information or advice generated by AI, with the findings raising “important questions about how consumers access information and support, and how technology may influence access to justice and redress in the future.” The research and accompanying resources are intended not only to help consumers make informed decisions about using AI, the LeO said, but also to support better-quality complaints and more effective access to redress.
Chief ombudsman, Phil Cain, said: “AI is rapidly becoming another voice in the complaints process. For many people it can help remove barriers by improving understanding, building confidence and making it easier to engage with legal service providers.
“But the picture is more nuanced than simply making complaining easier. AI can help, but it can also hinder, particularly where complaints become more complex or where people place too much reliance on information that is inaccurate.
“And AI is influencing how people access redress, the decisions they make and the way complaints are presented. This raises important questions. How accurate is the guidance consumers receive? Who benefits and who risks being left behind? What happens when AI moves from advising consumers to acting for them?
“As AI adoption grows, it is important that we understand both its potential and its limitations. Our practical guidance is designed to help consumers and legal service providers navigate those challenges, so that AI is used constructively to support fair and effective complaint resolution.”
- AI and complaints: removing barriers, reinforcing divides?
- Consumer Spotlight
- Service Provider Spotlight
