Over half of lawyers say ChatGPT should be used for legal work
New report shines spotlight on profession’s attitudes towards AI
The vast majority of lawyers recognise AI’s ability to undertake legal work, new research has found, but many feel the profession is better off keeping them separate.
A recent survey undertaken by Thomson Reuters found that a whopping 82% of lawyers agreed that ChatGPT and other generative AI tools could be applied to their day-to-day legal work. Just 7% felt it could not be applied and 10% said they were unsure.
A smaller majority of lawyers (51%) believe AI should be applied to legal work while nearly a quarter (24%) said it should not. Twenty-five percent were unsure.
The survey, which questioned 440 lawyers at large and mid-size law firms in the UK, US and Canada, forms part of a new report which takes a “deep look at the evolving attitudes towards generative AI and ChatGPT within law firms”.
It found that while awareness of ChatGPT and generative AI was high, application among law firms remained low, with just 3% of respondents using it right now. However, over a third (34%) said their firm was still considering whether to use it or not.
In response to the potential risks from using AI for legal work, 15% of respondents reported that their firms had warned them against its “unauthorised” use, while 6% said their firm had banned its usage outright. Key concerns include the technology’s “accuracy and security”, most specially around client confidentially, according to the report.
There’s been much discussion recently around AI and what impact it will have on the legal profession.
The Master of the Rolls recently warned that ChatGPT and its successor GPT-4 will transform the work of lawyers and judges, and “we will all have to get with the programme”.
Elsewhere, Paul Philip, the top boss at the Solicitors Regulation Authority, questioned the ChatBot on how advancements in technology will likely impact the Solicitors Qualifying Exam. The bot’s answer? Well, it depends. Spoken like a true lawyer.
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4 Comments
AI sceptic
This will end in disaster
ChatGTP user at work
I doubt it will end in disaster. It is not perfect, but people need to get with the programme and start to learn how to use it accurately and safely or else get left behind.
AI should be integrated into the day-to-day legal work.
AIUseratWork
AI needs to be integrated properly, and courses need to be taken to affective use ChatGTP or other AI systems that are developed in future. If someone is incapable of using tech of this kind or any tech for that matter without disclosing confidential information… then stop using a computer, and need to take a course in computer technologies. Using ChatGTP is almost the same level as using Google, Grammarly, LexisNexus, WestLaw. The prompt is essential, if you mess it up then well that’s on you, similar to messing up any other work in your day-to-day, leaving a document out for someone who shouldn’t see it, sending an email by mistake, writing/drafting advice that is inaccurate, etc.
Anonymous
NA
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