The Real Reason Why AI is Going to Take Your Job.
Picture it: Late at night, you’re staring at your screen, sifting through a sea of legal jargon. Then, the thought creeps in — “Will a robot be doing my job soon?” Cue the cold sweat.
We’ve all heard it on the grapevine. That paralegals and lawyers are most exposed to the AI invasion. Last month, a Goldman Sachs report estimated that generative AI could automate 44% of legal tasks. Reports from Princeton and NYU have concluded that the industry most exposed to AI disruption is (drumroll….) legal !!
Document management- Done. Just dump all your documents and ask for what you need in an AI prompt.
Knowledge management- Gone
Prior art search- gone
Trademark clearance search- ditto
First draft of any legal document- just ask any generative AI in the market.
I get it. It’s a digital age nightmare, an AI invasion like something straight out of a sci-fi movie. But let’s not jump to dystopian conclusions just yet.
We’re all a bit shaken up by the pace of tech advancements. Can you imagine, a world where artificial intelligence overshadows human intellect? Preposterous, right?
But what if I told you that the fear of being replaced by AI isn’t as ironclad as it seems? What if, instead, AI could become your secret weapon, turning you into a legal superhero? Intrigued?
Hang tight, because we’re about to dive headfirst into debunking some myths, and perhaps, you’ll see that it’s not about AI against us, but AI and us. Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Are We Battling Robots for the Gavel?
Picture a clockwork world, gears turning, pistons pumping, everything running like a well-oiled machine. That’s what AI aims to achieve. But it’s also the source of a gnawing fear, right? The dread of being reduced to a cog in the machine, or worse, being ousted altogether. Yet, it’s essential to see AI as it is, not what we fear it could be.
In the legal sphere, AI can sift through mountains of case law, scan documents for critical phrases, even predict a lawsuit’s outcome. Impressive? Absolutely. Scary? Maybe a little. But does this mean the courtroom will soon echo with the monotone drone of AI attorneys? Not quite. Here’s why.
AI, as it stands today, is incredible at crunching numbers and identifying patterns, but it’s not so hot at anything requiring creativity, empathy, or complex decision-making — the real meat and potatoes of legal work. For instance, can AI sympathize with a client’s emotional turmoil during a messy divorce or feel the satisfaction of fighting for justice in a significant civil rights case? Nah, that’s where you shine.
Can AI read a room, identify the emotion of opposite party’s demand and negotiate real time? Nope, that job is still yours to crush.
Numerous experts and studies back this up. A recent McKinsey report indicated that while AI could automate about 23% of a lawyer’s job and 35% of a paralegal’s, it’s predominantly the repetitive, mundane tasks. So, rather than eyeing your corner office, AI might just be offering to take some paperwork off your desk.
Real Threat. Unfounded Fear.
Imagine AI not as a rival, but as your friendly neighborhood sidekick. It’s not here to take your job but to give you a leg up. So, rather than booting you out, AI could be your ticket to a more streamlined and efficient legal practice.
Think about document review — that all-consuming, mind-numbing task. AI can sift through vast volumes of documents in a fraction of the time it’d take you, freeing you up for more engaging work. Or consider legal research — an essential but time-consuming activity. AI tools can pull up relevant cases, statutes, and regulations with a click, leaving you with more time to strategize and create compelling arguments.
Contract analysis? There’s an AI for that, capable of pinpointing potential issues or deviations from a standard contract. Yet, despite this, it doesn’t hold the nuanced understanding and experience to advise a client on the implications and possible scenarios that could arise. That’s still your arena.
AI isn’t the enemy here; it’s more of a handy sidekick. AI tools such as ROSS Intelligence and Legal Robot can revolutionise legal processes. ROSS, a super-smart AI tool, is said to sift through countless legal documents in seconds, finding that elusive case precedent quicker than you can say “objection”! Meanwhile, Legal Robot does a stellar job at demystifying legal language, transforming complex contracts into plain English. It’s like having your very own legal translator.
But there is a problem.
If you have used generative AI tools like ChatGPT, you may have realised that-
You can use generative AI tools effectively, only if you exactly understand the output you want.
Because I am not a graphic designer, it will be silly of me to use a graphic design generated by Midjourney say, for my business website. I have no idea what graphic design works magic on the category of customers I am targeting. But can a professional graphic designer improve his efficiency with Midjourney. One hundred percent.
Say a restauranter wants a privacy policy for his website. He asks ChatGPT for it and it spits out a draft. But because the restauranter doesn’t know what a robust privacy policy reads like, he will be unsure to slap that on his website and risk liability. Sure ChatGPT’s draft will have the basic elements of privacy. But will any prudent business risk using a AI generated legal document without a lawyer touch? I think not.
The Changing Landscape: Starring you as Batman and AI as Robin
Welcome to the age of the AI-savvy legal professional. There will be growing demand for legal eagles who can navigate AI tools, and for a good reason. Proficiency in AI could make you faster, more efficient, and more valuable to your clients. It’s like gaining a superpower that amplifies your abilities, elevating your practice to new heights.
I reckon, lawyers and paralegals proficient in AI tools will increasingly become a hot commodity in the legal field. Consider a paralegal who’s mastered the use of CaseText, an AI tool for legal research. She’s now her firm’s go-to person for all things AI, and has seen her career prospects soar.
AI tools like AskYourPDF (upload a PDF doc to interact with it) and LinkReader (AI reads the content from all sorts of links -like websites, news articles -and answers your questions) can shave off lawyer’s research time and maybe lower client’s costs.
I am not endorsing these tools (yet). The AI X Legal market will soon consolidate and reliable AI tools with deadly accuracy will emerge. Just saying that such AI will only aid lawyers and paralegals not replace them.
Remember that one law school classmate who was always ahead of the curve? Always up-to-date with the latest legal trends and techniques? Be that person. The legal field isn’t static; it’s a dynamic and ever-evolving beast. And right now, AI is the frontier.
Learning to use AI in your practice isn’t just about staying relevant; it’s about gaining a competitive edge. It’s the difference between trudging up a mountain and hopping onto a high-speed gondola.
The only reason why AI will replace you is if you sit out this AI revolution .
AI isn’t here to swipe your job. It’s not equipped to argue a case, comfort a client, or think outside the box. It’s here to make your life easier, to lift the load of those mundane, repetitive tasks off your shoulders.
It’s about how you can harness AI, use it to enhance your practice, impress your clients, and supercharge your career. Yes, change can be intimidating, but it can also be invigorating, enlightening, empowering.
AI won’t replace a paralegal, a paralegal proficient in AI will replace a paralegal.
