AI is changing how people ask for information

AI tools are now helping people write emails, complaints, information requests, customer queries and formal correspondence.

That can be positive. It may help people explain themselves more clearly, especially if they struggle with wording or structure.

But it can also create a new workload problem.

The ICO has published new guidance because public authorities are seeing more AI-generated FOI requests that are longer, more complex, unclear or based on inaccurate legal references.

The issue is not limited to FOI.

Any organisation that handles customer enquiries, complaints, applications, service questions or document requests may see the same trend.

AI makes it easier to generate more communication, but not always better communication.

The pressure falls on teams, systems and knowledge

When requests become longer or more complex, teams need more time to understand what is being asked.

That can create pressure on:

• Customer service teams
• Compliance teams
• HR teams
• Operations teams
• Public-sector FOI teams
• Bid and tender teams
• Service delivery teams
• Administrative staff

The ICO’s guidance explains that AI-generated requests can be very long, repetitive, too broad, contain unrelated comments or be written in a way that makes the actual request harder to identify.

For businesses, this matters because a confusing enquiry still has to be handled.

If the organisation has poor information management, staff may spend unnecessary time searching for answers, checking documents, escalating internally or rewriting responses.

This creates delays, inconsistency and frustration.

The problem is not only the incoming request.

The problem is whether the organisation has a clear workflow for dealing with it.

What organisations should do now

The best response is not panic.

It is better information readiness.

Organisations should review:

• How incoming requests are triaged
• Who decides whether clarification is needed
• Where approved answers are stored
• Which documents staff rely on most often
• Whether internal knowledge is up to date
• How repeated questions are tracked
• Which requests could be safely supported by automation
• When human judgement is required
• How AI-generated internal notes and prompts are recorded

This is where CAIT Group Ltd can help.

CAIT supports organisations with workflow automation, internal knowledge management, document handling, AI governance and knowledge-base chatbot planning.

A practical system could help teams identify common enquiry types, organise approved information, improve response consistency and reduce the time spent searching through scattered documents.

The goal is not to replace people.

The goal is to help people respond faster, more accurately and with less pressure.

Practical impact by organisation type

Individuals: People may receive clearer and more consistent responses when organisations have better workflows and approved information.

Small businesses: A simple enquiry triage process can stop owners and managers being pulled into every unclear or repeated request.

Medium businesses: Better knowledge management helps teams respond consistently across departments.

Large businesses: Structured workflows reduce delays, duplication and escalation pressure across high-volume teams.

Multinationals: Clear response standards help manage complex enquiries across regions and service lines.

Public sector organisations: Strong FOI and information workflows can help teams deal with rising AI-generated request volumes while maintaining fairness and consistency.

CAIT service connection

This story connects directly to CAIT Group Ltd’s services:

• AI workflow automation for SMEs
• Document handling and information workflow review
• Knowledge-base and retrieval chatbot planning
• Internal knowledge management
• AI governance and staff AI use policy
• Customer enquiry automation
• Public-sector AI readiness and human oversight

CAIT helps organisations understand where information pressure is building, then creates a practical route to clearer workflows, better knowledge access and controlled AI-supported responses.

Are repeated or complex enquiries taking too much time from your team?

We can help you organise approved knowledge, improve triage and identify where AI can support your team safely.