Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping consumer decision-making, particularly in communication with firms, yet our understanding of their impact remains limited. This research explores the effect of LLMs on consumer complaints submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from 2015 to 2024, documenting the adoption of LLMs for drafting complaints and evaluating the likelihood of obtaining relief from financial firms. Utilizing a leading AI detection tool, we analyzed over 1 million complaints and identified a significant increase in LLM usage following the release of ChatGPT. We establish a causal relationship between LLM usage and an increased likelihood of obtaining relief by employing instrumental variables to address endogeneity in LLM adoption. Experimental data further support this link, demonstrating that LLMs enhance the clarity and persuasiveness of consumer narratives. Our findings suggest that facilitating access to LLMs can help firms better understand consumer concerns and level the playing field among consumers. This underscores the importance of policies promoting technological accessibility, enabling all consumers to effectively voice their concerns.

翻译：大型语言模型（LLMs）正在重塑消费者的决策过程，尤其是在与企业沟通方面，然而我们对其影响的理解仍然有限。本研究探讨了LLMs对2015年至2024年间提交至消费者金融保护局的消费者投诉的影响，记录了消费者使用LLMs起草投诉的采用情况，并评估了从金融机构获得救济的可能性。通过使用领先的AI检测工具，我们分析了超过100万份投诉，发现在ChatGPT发布后，LLM的使用显著增加。我们通过采用工具变量来解决LLM采用中的内生性问题，从而确立了LLM使用与获得救济可能性增加之间的因果关系。实验数据进一步支持了这一关联，表明LLMs能够提升消费者叙述的清晰度和说服力。我们的研究结果表明，促进对LLMs的获取可以帮助企业更好地理解消费者的关切，并平衡消费者之间的竞争环境。这强调了促进技术可及性政策的重要性，以使所有消费者都能有效地表达他们的诉求。