UK Edition
Law firms will use artificial intelligence (AI) to draft and edit legal documents using a chatbot similar to ChatGPT.
The new software, called Lexis+, will allow legal professionals to research case law, summarise documents and even draft letters.
In one demonstration, bosses showed how the chatbot could summarise existing laws and regulations and provide examples of relevant cases to illustrate them.
Lawyers will be able to draft emails to clients and change the language or tone of a document, for example by making a cease and desist letter more aggressive.
Top law firms including Baker McKenzie, Reed Smith and Foley & Lardner have signed up to trial the technology ahead of a wider rollout.
LexisNexis, the company behind the chatbot, built and trained the AI on its database of legal documents and records.
The company said this would ensure results are based on accurate information, avoiding the problem of “hallucinations” – or factually incorrect responses – often experienced by users of ChatGPT.
Bosses added that the technology would simplify and speed up the complex and time-consuming legal research process.
Jeff Pfeifer, chief product officer at LexisNexis, said: “Because our new, generative AI functionality is backed by verifiable, citable authority, users can conduct complex legal work in an environment that’s designed to mitigate the well-documented large language model risks of hallucination.”
However, the launch of the legal chatbot will likely fuel further concerns about job losses as nascent AI tools make automation ever easier.
Last week, the chief executive of IT giant IBM warned AI will replace thousands of jobs over the next five years.
Experts and regulators have also raised concerns about the potentially harmful consequences of chatbots, including scams and misinformation.
Steve Kuncewicz, a partner at law firm Glaisyers, said AI could lead to fewer jobs and changes in roles, but insisted there would always be plenty of demand for humans.
He added: “The legal industry is no less immune from the winds of change than any other kind of profession, but this is an attempt to say: ‘We’ve looked at where ChatGPT and the like may be found wanting and we’ve come up with some that’s safer and better.’”
The use of time-saving AI in the legal profession could also accelerate a move away from billable hours and towards fixed fees.
Lubna Shuja, president of the Law Society, said the time savings created by AI would help solicitors to develop their soft skills.
She said: “Empathy, compassion and emotional intelligence will remain critical, as more generative AI grows. What it means to be a lawyer will evolve, as will the type of jobs available to them and the skills required for these.”
LexisNexis insisted it was developing the technology responsibly and with human oversight, taking action to prevent the creation or reinforcement of unfair bias.
The company said it will also launch a programme open to all legal professionals that will provide updates and education about generative AI.
LexisNexis is owned by Relx, the FTSE 100-listed media and analytics company. Last month Relx was the only British company to be named in Bank of America’s list of the top 10 businesses most likely to benefit from AI.