Using AI to help draft freedom of information requests (FOI) can increase the burden on councils and even add to the cost for the taxpayer, Cheshire East has said.

The council, which says it is experiencing an unusually high volume of information requests, has said that while AI tools can be helpful 'they can also introduce errors or create overly complex requests that increase the burden on public bodies and cost to the taxpayer'.

It is urging residents who use AI to check the wording reflects their actual information needs.

A post on the council's website states before people submit an FOI they should check that:

• They are only asking for the information they are genuinely looking for – it says AI tools sometimes generate broad or excessive wording that goes beyond the information actually wanted or needed.
• The request is clear, concise and focused – short, straightforward requests are easier for public bodies to process and usually lead to quicker, more accurate responses.
• There are no obvious factual inaccuracies – the council says AI can misrepresent legislation or misstate what organisations do, so residents should review the text of their request carefully and don't assume AI is right.
• The tone is appropriate – the council says AI-generated content can sometimes sound abrupt, or otherwise inappropriate and residents should check the tone before sending.

According to Cheshire East, an increasing number of FOI requests and secondary correspondence it receives appear to have been drafted by generative AI.

It says: "These can require additional clarification because of inaccuracies or unnecessary complexity. This creates delays for both requesters and our teams."