One signal

Civil servants in Scotland say what appear to be AI-generated parliamentary questions are arriving in batches of up to 20, adding to pressure on officials, The Scotsman reports. The account describes a practical consequence of AI-generated requests: staff say paperwork is taking time from other government work.

The report also cites officials who say internal briefings and freedom of information requests are adding to the strain. One staff member said preparing multiple briefings had hindered work on GP walk-in services; another said an FOI response diverted checks needed for farmers’ payments. These are accounts reported by The Scotsman, not an independently established assessment of the overall impact. The Scottish Government says its five-year change plan commits it to investing in skills and technology and reducing bureaucracy. The report raises a question beyond whether AI can generate requests quickly: how should public bodies handle legitimate requests when their combined volume strains the work they are meant to support?

Discuss: When AI makes it easier to submit large batches of parliamentary questions, should the rules change, or should public bodies be expected to answer every request regardless of volume?

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