10
E
ver since AI first started grabbing
major headlines almost a decade
ago, we've been bombarded with
warnings that robots will ultimately put us
out of work and AI will eliminate human jobs.
While these fears have calmed down a bit from
the height of the becoming-sentient, rise-of-
the-machines fervor, many people, including
lawyers, remain skeptical of AI and how it
might impact their future career trajectory.
There's no question that AI has had a
significant impact on nearly every industry,
including law. Some have even referred to
the rise of AI and advanced technologies as
a cyber-industrial revolution. Nonetheless,
we're far from any scenario where machines
are poised to obviate the need for creative
thinking, fact pattern discernment and client
advocacy at the heart of an attorney's legal
acumen. Rather than replacing lawyers,
AI is helping lawyers to streamline their
workflows, securely fulfill their professional
and ethical duties and better serve their
clients.
While the legal industry has not
necessarily been on the front lines when
it comes to adopting AI, law firms should
be looking for ways to capitalize on the
benefits it can offer if they want to increase
efficiency and remain competitive in the
AI: A Lawyer's Frenemy?
B Y T O M A S S U R O S
future. Learning to navigate the love-hate
relationship the industry currently has with
AI starts with understanding the roles AI is
actually playing and recognizing AI is more a
benefit than a threat.
Facing Our AI Fears
While most lawyers understand that AI offers
a number of benefits and has the potential to
create new roles within the legal industry,
there's still a fear among many that AI will
eliminate more jobs than it creates. The
reality, however, is that we are far from the
days of robo-lawyers, if they ever even come
to be.
