I disagree with the second point, with copilot AI assist on, they should be able to make request automatically if the choice presents itself. Just like I’m still waiting for my Copilot Assist to automatically request taxi to the gate as soon as we are handed over to Ground ATC. So when it comes to the flight plan clearance, it is doing what it’s suppose to. Prior to SU5, the ATC wasn’t able to do so, but the option to get another clearance has always been there in the ATC window, and it’s been like that since launch.
The problem isn’t the ATC auto-requesting the new clearance. It’s actually coming from your first point in your post. The default flight planner treats “any” change to the flight plan to require a completely new clearance. No matter how small or how big the change, any changes made is treated as a completely new flight plan to be cleared. This is the problem that needs fixing. And this problem has been in need of a fix since launch day.
Basically, only a change in destination should require a new clearance. If you’re only adding/removing waypoints, changing SIDs and STARs, or even changing runway approaches but still belongs to the same departure/destination pair, it should not be treated as a new flight plan. It should only trigger when the destination is changed, and when that happens Copilot ATC assist should immediately request a new clearance.