Using AI to write complaint letters? Here's why it doesn't work

If you're thinking of using artificial intelligence to craft a complaint to an airline, cruise line, or car rental company, you may want to reconsider.As a consumer advocate and TPG's ombudsman columnist, I've observed a distinct change in the help requests that cross my desk. Troubled travelers are using AI to navigate customer service problems — and the results aren't pretty.At first glance, the letters read like well-written arguments penned by determined travelers who have done extensive research. They come complete with bulleted lists of "evidence."Unfortunately, they can also sound like unnecessarily aggressive legal briefs rather than genuine pleas for help. What's more, the laws and regulations cited, not to mention their basic premises, are sometimes AI hallucinations, meaning they do not exist. Nearly always, the complaints conclude with highly inflated compensation demands, accusations of fraud and hard deadlines for a response.Unsurprisingly, companies often ignore AI-generated complaints that are filled with legal threats and have little basis in reality. Even worse, the outcome for some travelers is a bigger problem than the original issue. Trusting the advice of an A...