Communication & access
Make the notice easier to read without changing the rules
Readers understood AI-assisted rewrites of Dutch government letters better in a small study. The researchers checked the drafts and corrected contact details where needed.
In a trial with 72 adults recruited online, readers answered more questions correctly about three Dutch government letters when they read versions rewritten with ChatGPT. The researchers had checked contact details against the originals and corrected any differences. A notice can become easier to read while losing a detail that determines whether someone can use the service.
What the readers had to work out
Nadine Beks van Raaij and colleagues tested a version of ChatGPT based on GPT-3.5-turbo. They assigned readers at random to groups that received different combinations of original and rewritten letters. The questions asked what the letters meant and what a recipient should do. The researchers reported more correct answers for the rewritten version of each letter.
The team tried several ways of asking for the rewrite. They reported that earlier attempts lost information, so their final instructions asked the model to list the important points before rewriting them. The team also checked spelling and grammar, standardised layout and sought legal and linguistic review. The trial measured questionnaire answers about three letters. It did not track what recipients did after receiving a notice.
Keep the details that determine what people can do
Consider a fictional library notice for a workshop that accepts applications online or in person. The website closes at 5 pm, but the library desk closes at 4 pm. A rewrite saying “apply by 5 pm” could send someone to a desk after it closes. Put the closing time beside each application route. If the original is unclear about a route or a deadline, ask the service owner to resolve the uncertainty before rewriting it.
Use the approved notice as the source. Ask the model to identify each instruction that changes what a reader can do or when, then draft against that list. Check the list and the draft against the original yourself, including any exception or alternative omitted from the list. Keep the official name of a form beside its plain description so someone can still find it.
Give the draft to a few people who have not seen the original. Ask how they would apply if they could not use the website, then compare their answers with the approved policy. If they choose the wrong route or miss a deadline, revise the notice and try it with another reader before it goes out.
Sources and further reading
Sources checked 5 November 2026. Prepared with AI assistance and editorial review.