UK Consumer Group Urges Companies to Stop Overusing AI Chatbots and Protect the Right to Talk to a Real Person

UK consumer group Citizens Advice has called on energy, banking, phone, and internet companies to stop relying too much on AI chatbots for customer service and to protect users' right to talk to a real person. A survey found that more than half of users who had to use chatbots wasted time, felt stressed, or faced delays in solving problems.

The group says chatbots often trap users in endless loops. Nearly half of those who used them found them unhelpful, and some felt the system was designed to make them give up. Many people shout "real person" repeatedly when calling support, trying to bypass automated systems. Citizens Advice estimates at least 14 million people in the UK face digital exclusion.

Policy chief Tom MacInnes said overreliance on chatbots and online forms can stop people from solving bill issues, handling debt, or even getting homelessness support. Data shows that submitting a meter reading online and fixing a wrong bill may take under an hour, while offline handling can take up to six weeks. A July survey found only 20% of UK adults prefer chatbots as their first way to communicate.