The legal profession, steeped in tradition and precedent, is undergoing a transformative shift, ushered in by rapid technological advancements. This shift is propelled by the swift technological strides and, more prominently, artificial intelligence (AI). Among the myriad AI technologies, Generative AI - anchored in Natural Language Processing (NLP) to bolster efficiency - stands out as the vanguard of this change. Notable instances of such generative tools include the likes of Siri, Google Assistant and ChatGPT.
Yet, it is essential to recognize that we, as lawyers, have always been in tandem with technological evolution. Our journey began with reading and researching from physical books, transitioning to the advent of the first personal computer in 1974 (Britannica) and the widespread use of email in the 1980s and 1990s. The turn of the millennium saw IBM's push for in-home personal computing in 2002 (Britannica), culminating in the emergence of the first learning language models—what many colloquially term as "AI"—in 2011 (COE). A recent forecast by Goldman Sachs in March of this year even highlighted the potential of generative AI to automate up to 44% of legal tasks in the US in the coming years. Given the shared common law foundations between the US and Canada, it is plausible to anticipate a parallel trend north of the border.
As a junior lawyer deeply involved in guiding my firm through this uncharted territory, I have invested significant effort to demystify this evolution. Below, I will share my insights and pointers on the assimilation of generative AI in the legal domain, with the intent to provide a holistic grasp of the unfolding landscape.
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