UKResearch
Legal Ombudsman research finds AI more often steers consumers away from complaints
Legal Ombudsman research published October 1, 2026, found AI often acts as informal pre-complaint triage that steers consumers away from complaining more than toward it, Legal Futures reported. Among adults who made or considered a formal complaint about a regulated service in the prior year, 54% used AI; of those using AI to decide, 47% were influenced not to complain and 32% to complain.
Key points
- LeO commissioned Ipsos polling of 2,196 adults plus reviews of complaint files and published the report on October 1, 2026.Legal Futures
- Of people who made or considered a formal complaint about a regulated service in the past 12 months, 54% used an AI tool.Legal Futures
- Among those who used AI to help decide whether to complain, 47% said it influenced them not to complain and 32% to complain.Legal Futures
- LeO's case review found AI traces in 51% of sampled files, with both clearer submissions and lengthy, hard-to-resolve complaints.Legal Futures
- Chief Ombudsman Phil Cain said AI can help remove barriers for consumers but can also hinder; LeO said human oversight remains critical.Legal Futures