Introduction
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is often perceived to have emerged in the early 2000s with tools like ChatGPT, Grammarly and Notion. Are these AI tools familiar to you? These tools have become integral in assisting everyone from students to large corporations. Famous organisations, including Netflix, Amazon and Tesla, have incorporated AI to boost productivity in their business operations.
What exactly is AI? It can best be described as advanced technology that enhances electronic devices' ability to replicate human learning, comprehension, problem-solving, decision-making, creativity and autonomy. According to Thomson Reuters, 79% of law firm respondents anticipate that AI will have a transformational impact on their work within the next five years, marking a significant 10% increase from 2023. AI could revolutionise the legal industry by automating routine tasks and enabling lawyers to focus on strategic work to increase efficiency at a lower cost. However, it also raises concerns about job losses and the necessity for human judgement in complex cases.
Current State of AI in the Legal Profession
AI is becoming pivotal in the legal industry, especially in labour-intensive areas. E-discovery is one of the many ways AI is being used in the legal field. AI can rapidly scan incredible volumes of electronic data to find relevant information far more efficiently than manual methods. Additionally, lawyers can search for case laws and legislation more efficiently with the help of legal research tools such as Westlaw, Harvey, LexisNexis and Casetext, which can greatly reduce research time.
Another crucial area is automation and document management, in which AI helps to organise and store legal documents for simple retrieval. This makes it possible for lawyers to identify errors, inconsistencies or missing legislation in papers more accurately and efficiently, thanks to due diligence and contract review that are improved by this technology.
AI is also advancing into litigation analysis and risk assessment, where it assists lawyers in predicting potential risks based on precedent analysis, thereby improving strategic decision-making. Furthermore, AI-powered chatbots enhance client communication and support by handling repetitive duties such as appointment scheduling and basic enquiries, allowing lawyers to focus on more complicated legal concerns and improving overall productivity and client satisfaction.
Potential Benefits of AI in Legal Practice
The usage of AI in legal practice is unsurprising considering its recent debut in the legal profession. According to Goldman Sachs, AI can replicate approximately 44% of the tasks associated with current legal practice. These consist of document research, contract review and predictive analysis of case outcomes based on historical data. The emergence of AI allows law firms to reduce labour costs while accelerating task completion times. As a result, law firms can manage their resources more efficiently and prioritise making strategic legal decisions, which helps lower operating costs and boost profitability for the company in the long run. Moreover, AI tools contribute to a better work-life balance for solicitors by reducing stress and burnout risks.
Many would have believed that justice would be more accessible in a world where a growing number of individuals are entering the legal field. However, this isn't always the case. A report by the World Justice Project has shown that approximately 5 billion people worldwide have no access to justice due to various factors. The primary factors are mainly the flawed administration systems that hinder people from obtaining justice. Therefore, people who lack legal documents and are subjected to extreme forms of injustice, such as slavery and statelessness, are denied legal representation. Unfortunately, the emergence of AI is still unable to resolve this rampant problem as it cannot address its complex intricacy.
Challenges and Ethical Considerations
There are many obstacles and ethical concerns surrounding the use of AI in the legal field. One of the key challenges is bias. AI programmes are trained on historical data which have the potential to sustain inequalities, especially in sensitive areas such as criminal law and family law. For instance, the COMPAS algorithm has been questioned for racial bias against Black defendants. Audits are necessary to identify biases in AI systems to ensure they align with ethical standards and to avoid biassed decision-making, thereby improving trust in their use.
Another issue with AI in the legal field is the lack of transparency, as it makes decisions without clear justifications, which makes accountability challenging. Robust regulatory frameworks are necessary to ensure that sensitive legal information and data are protected. Additionally, AI lacks human judgement, empathy and emotional intelligence, which are qualities crucial in complex legal matters. Even while AI can expand access to legal services, there is concern that it will increase the "digital divide", thereby further marginalising communities with limited resources.
The Future Landscape
Upon witnessing how smoothly AI has integrated into the legal profession, everyone is left with one pressing question: "Will AI eventually cause lawyers to lose their jobs?" Many people in this industry may have pondered this question. Some may even see AI as a threat to their employment! Those who believe so may rest assured since the argument that AI has yet to replace lawyers is supported by many experts. Regardless of how advanced technology becomes in performing tasks that lawyers usually handle, the fact remains undeniable that human lawyers produce the finest desired outcomes.
For instance, while AI can provide legal assistance to clients efficiently, it lacks emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills. This is due to the system programmed within them, which enables them to solve problems solely based on the facts before them. As a result, they often struggle to put themselves in the shoes of their clients, particularly in family law-related cases or complex scenarios. Moreover, AI falls short in representing clients in court and interacting with other lawyers. Such activities demand specific skills that only humans possess, such as the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, self-awareness and making quick judgements in real-time.
Many law schools, including Taylor's University, have begun to adapt to the existence of AI in our daily lives. Universities have begun to allow the use of AI while students prepare their assignments. However, embracing such a powerful tool comes with great responsibility. Universities have implemented strict policies on the usage of AI, requiring students to cite in their footnotes whenever they have used AI in a specific sentence. Furthermore, individuals will face serious repercussions if they submit AI-generated content as their work. In my opinion, law schools should revise their current curriculum structure to incorporate AI education, such as AI terminology, how to utilise AI programmes and data analysis. This ensures that our future lawyers are skilled at working with such advanced technology and won't lag behind the rapid progress of AI.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the legal industry has greatly benefited from AI by making work faster and more efficient. However, AI still cannot replace human lawyers, especially in complex cases that require human judgement and compassion. AI is not meant to replace lawyers but rather work alongside them to boost their productivity. Furthermore, there are concerns that AI needs to be carefully managed because of bias and privacy issues. Ultimately, AI should be used to support lawyers rather than replace them, as human capabilities remain necessary in the legal industry.
Comments