Legal Ombudsman Research Highlights Growing Use of AI in Client Complaints

2nd November 2026

The Legal Ombudsman (LeO) has published new research examining how artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way consumers approach complaints, alongside practical guidance to help legal service providers respond effectively to AI-assisted correspondence.
.

The report, AI and complaints: removing barriers, reinforcing divides?, explores how consumers are increasingly turning to AI tools to understand their rights, assess whether they have grounds for complaint, navigate redress processes and prepare correspondence with service providers.
.

Key Findings

The research highlights the growing influence of AI throughout the complaints journey, with findings including:
.

54% of surveyed consumers who had made or considered a complaint about a regulated service had used AI to assist them.
51% of a sample of 100 Legal Ombudsman case files showed indicators of AI use.
75% of surveyed AI users reported that AI had helped them understand the complaints process.
35% of AI-indicated cases in LeO’s general casework sample were assessed as having been negatively affected by AI use.

The findings suggest that while AI can help consumers understand their rights and communicate concerns more confidently, it can also introduce challenges, including inaccurate information, unrealistic expectations and unnecessarily lengthy or complex correspondence.
.

What Does This Mean for Law Firms?

As more clients use AI to prepare complaints, legal service providers may increasingly encounter correspondence containing AI-generated legal arguments, references to legislation or case law, and requests for remedies.
.

The Legal Ombudsman’s guidance encourages firms to focus on the substance of a complaint rather than how it has been prepared. Maintaining clear, accessible and proportionate complaints procedures remains essential, particularly where AI-generated correspondence may obscure the client’s underlying concerns.
.

Firms should also remain alert to the possibility of inaccurate legal information or unrealistic expectations arising from AI-generated advice, while continuing to respond constructively and with a focus on early resolution.
.

New Guidance for Legal Service Providers

Alongside the research, LeO has published two practical Spotlight resources.
.

The guidance for legal service providers, Spotlight on Artificial Intelligence: Is an LLM Better Than an LLB?, examines how firms can respond effectively to AI-assisted complaints and avoid correspondence becoming unnecessarily complicated or adversarial.
.

A separate consumer guide provides advice on using AI responsibly when making a complaint, including a prompt tool to help individuals explain their concerns and identify the outcomes they are seeking.
.

With AI increasingly influencing client expectations and communications, the research provides a timely opportunity for law firms to review their complaints-handling processes and consider how they respond to AI-assisted correspondence.
.