Consumer Council launches new AI assistant to answer your questions

It's now easier than ever for Islanders to get helpful consumer advice, thanks to a new AI assistant created by the Jersey Consumer Council.

Launched to coincide with our 30th anniversary, the ‘Ask a question’ service lets consumers get answers to their questions, based on a wealth of trusted information curated by the Council's team.

The AI assistant has in-depth knowledge of a range of subjects, from consumer rights to avoiding scams, as well as what you need to know before travelling or even how to return or exchange unwanted gifts.

Carl Walker, the Consumer Council's Chairman, explains the benefits:

"After 30 years, our work to keep Islanders informed about consumer issues is as important now as it's ever been.

"Embracing new technology like AI is allowing us to modernise and help more people than ever, making the resources we have available go further.

“Our small but dedicated team continues to help as many Islanders as we can, but more and more people are turning to us for help with the rising cost of living and other consumer topics, or to report issues accessing financial products like credit cards or unfair business practices."

In 2024, the Jersey Consumer Council compared more than 14,000 prices and investigated more than 560 consumer complaints.

The Council is comprised of its Chairman and volunteer Council members, supported by two part-time officers.

Alex Watson, who joined the Council as a member in 2024, developed the AI assistant using tools that are freely available.

He said: “After working with Carl covering consumer news stories in Jersey for several years, I wanted to try to help make sure the good work the Council does was accessible to as many people as possible.

"The Council has a wealth of information available on its website, but rather than having to browse through pages or use a traditional search engine, the AI assistant allows a more conversational way for people to find what they are looking for.

"It knows all the articles written by the Council inside out and can answer questions using that knowledge, and is constantly being reviewed and updated."

The AI assistant can answer questions, provided the answer has previously been written by one of the Council's human team members.

If someone asks a question that it isn't able to confidently answer, the AI assistant will offer an email address or phone number to speak to the team in person instead.

Mr Walker added: "AI isn't replacing the human interaction our team has with Islanders, but it allows us to provide an additional route for people to find information that we've previously shared."

The AI service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the Jersey Consumer Council's website. Just press the 'Ask a question' button at the bottom of any page.