What Does AI Mean for the Legal Industry?
Most legal professionals already use artificial intelligence (Al) in their work, although they may not realize it. Even the most tech-savvy attorneys are wondering what Al means for legal professionals today - and in the future. Let’s dive into the three most common questions about AI:
- How is Al defined and how does it differ from other types of technology?
- How will Al technologies change the way legal professionals work?
- In an industry where accuracy is vital, how do I know when Al technology can be trusted?
What does artificial intelligence mean?
Is Al just a meaningless term invented by marketers? Are robots trying to take over the world? Most industries have different ideas of what Al is and what it does, therefore, any useful discussion of Al should begin with a common understanding of the term.
Senior Director of Westlaw Product Management at Thomson Reuters, Erik Lindberg, defines Al as “the simulation of human thought processes in a computerized model.” For the developers at Thomson Reuters, this means teaching computers to mimic human behavior and thoughts in order to find relevant and accurate results. This means helping legal researchers save time on legal research without sacrificing confidence.
Natural Language search in Westlaw is a good example of AI that you are likely already using today. Those who have been using Westlaw since the early 1990s may recall a time when it was necessary to utilize Boolean Terms and Connectors to surface meaningful search results. You may also remember when Westlaw implemented Natural Language search capabilities which allowed the computer to recognize the way humans think and speak.
Read the full article for more on what AI means for the future of legal research.
BONUS: Check out these related articles for more insights from legal research experts:
• Don’t Reinvent the Wheel with Your Legal Research
• ‘Must See’ Legal Technology to Deliver Better Answers Faster
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