A man based outside India faced a problem during his airline travel and instead of hiring a lawyer, he decided to use ChatGPT to draft a legal notice for the airline. To his surprise, he received thousands of dollars in compensation. This incident highlights the potential of AI in the legal industry, but the legal community remains divided on its role. Prasad Karhad, founder and director of Patent Attorney Worldwide, believes that AI can only be used for non-crucial tasks in the legal landscape, but it has the potential to go beyond just replacing typists. However, David Sacks, former CEO of Yammer, pointed out a crucial flaw in using large language models (LLMs) in legal services – error rates. He emphasized that even a small error can have significant consequences in an industry where accuracy is non-negotiable. This has made legal professionals hesitant to fully embrace AI technologies.
In another podcast, Jake Heller, co-founder and CEO of Casetext, shared his frustrations with outdated legal technology. As a lawyer, he experienced the inefficiencies of traditional systems and outdated research tools, which hindered his work. This led him to develop a solution to streamline legal workflows. However, even in India, lawyers are not open to adopting technology. Sandeep Hegde, an advocate at Platinum Legal, stated that most law firms do not use CRMs or case management systems, and rely on traditional methods like diaries and Excel sheets. This aversion to change is deeply rooted in tradition and the mindset that if something worked before, it will continue to work.
While AI has the potential to enhance certain aspects of legal work, full-scale disruption remains out of reach. The legal industry is bound by precedent and old laws, making it difficult for new technologies to be fully embraced. As of now, AI can assist in certain tasks, but the legal community is still hesitant to fully rely on it. This highlights the need for a balance between traditional methods and new technologies in the legal landscape.
