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Concerns Raised Over AI-Generated Complaints Flooding Edinburgh Council
Edinburgh councillors have expressed concerns regarding a surge in AI-generated complaints being submitted to public bodies. During a recent full council meeting, Councillor Jo Mowat (Conservative) highlighted issues related to the volume of complaints that contain allegedly false information and “hallucinated cases”, which can complicate the handling process for council officials.
The discussion followed a report from the Information Commissioner that warned public bodies about the increasing number of complex Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that often misinterpret regulations. Officials have noted that this trend is significantly impacting the daily operations of staff.
Councillor Mowat stated, “We are not the only public sector seeing AI-generated complaints. You’ve probably seen them in your inbox. They tend to be exceedingly lengthy and they are also complex. Many are seeing invented cases. They take an enormous amount of officer time to respond to.” She further explained that such complaints can extend into thousands of words and include detailed legal references that require thorough fact-checking.
At present, the council lacks the means to identify which complaints may have been generated by AI, as noted by Councillor Mowat, who described this issue as “an area of strategic importance.” She has called for an investigation into the prevalence of AI-generated complaints, as well as a comparison with more traditional complaints received by the council.
The Liberal Democrat group supported Mowat’s motion and also urged an examination of whether the council is facing similar issues with AI-generated FOI requests. Councillor Alan Beal (Liberal Democrat) emphasized the need to explore AI tools that could assist in managing the volume of complaints, warning that without intervention, the situation could become unmanageable.
Following the discussions, Councillor Mowat accepted the amendments proposed by the Liberal Democrats, and the motion was passed unanimously without opposition.
