AI tools are increasing public service requests globally
Public services worldwide have seen significant increases in applications and complaints since the rise of AI tools like ChatGPT. In the UK, housing ombudsman complaints more than doubled from 2022 to 2023; similarly, U.S. CFPB complaints rose fivefold over the same period. Similar trends were observed in Brazil and Germany. Researcher Chris Schmitz is studying this phenomenon as part of a broader trend he calls 'agentic flooding,' where AI agents are reshaping how people interact with public services. Schmitz's research, to be presented at an upcoming conference, analyzed 84 cases across 11 jurisdictions and found consistent growth in submissions after 2022. While some filings may appear adversarial or spam-like, many represent legitimate claims from individuals who previously faced administrative barriers. Schmitz argues this surge presents a rare opportunity for public services to adapt their systems for the AI era. The increased volume is straining resources but differs from other AI-generated floods like those in bug-bounty programs, where most submissions were low-quality and unactionable. In contrast, many of these new applications are valid claims that could lead to systemic improvements if handled effectively.
Topics: agentic flooding AI applications complaints government services