Citizens information website reports 20% fall in traffic as people look to AI for answers

AI summaries generated by search engines would often have 'outdated or inaccurate' information, Oireachtas committee heard.

Traffic to the Citizens Information website dropped by almost 20% after search engines began to give “AI summaries” to what was being looked for, but such models often give “outdated and inaccurate” information, an Oireachtas committee has heard.

Graham Long, chief executive of the Citizens Information Board, said his body had developed its own AI tool to try to give users accurate information on topics such as welfare payments and tax, but said such technology could not replace an in-person interaction.