The Thomson Reuters Institute has released a new report titled "ChatGPT & Generative AI within Law Firms" revealing the evolving attitudes towards the use of generative AI and ChatGPT within law firms. The report surveyed lawyers about the opportunities and potential risks associated with these technologies. It indicated that 82% of the 440 respondent lawyers at large and midsize law firms in the US, UK, and Canada believe that ChatGPT and generative AI can be readily applied to legal work.
Key Findings from the Report:
- Attitudes are evolving around this technology: Although almost everybody surveyed had heard of ChatGPT and generative AI, actual use among law firms thus far was quite limited with only 3% of respondents using generative AI.
- Firms are taking a cautiously proactive approach: About 15% of the respondents said their firms have warned employees against unauthorised generative AI use at work, and 6% said their firms have banned unauthorised usage outright.
- There’s a growing awareness of the risks: 62% of the respondents had concerns with the use of ChatGPT and generative AI at work. Many of the concerns voiced in the survey seemed to revolve around the technology’s accuracy and security, most specifically about how law firms’ concerns of privacy and client confidentiality will be addressed.
The report also highlights the potential use cases for ChatGPT and generative AI within law firms which includes the following:
- Legal research
- Identifying patterns and trends in legal decisions
- Contract drafting
- Reviewing and revising existing contracts
- Document analysis
- Legal writing, due diligence, and e-discovery.
However, the report also notes that there are potential risks associated with the use of these technologies in the legal profession. For example, there is a risk that the technology could be used to automate tasks that should be performed by lawyers, which could lead to job loss and reduced quality of legal services. Additionally, there is a risk that the technology could generate biased or inaccurate results, leading to incorrect legal advice and outcomes. There is also a risk that the technology could generate legal documents that are not properly vetted, which could lead to legal errors and malpractice claims.
To address these risks, the report recommends that law firms take a cautious and proactive approach to the adoption of ChatGPT and generative AI. This could include implementing strict data privacy and security measures, ensuring that lawyers are properly trained in the use of the technology, and establishing clear guidelines and policies for its use.
Although there are concerns over accuracy and security, some experts believe that generative AI is a tool to assist lawyers rather than replace them. As the technology is still in its early stages, users are expected to become more comfortable with these tools over time, and generative AI and ChatGPT will eventually become a commonplace tool within law firms.
