Could A Lawyer Ever Be Replaced By AI?

AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is going to change everyday life and there’s no doubt about it. There are some predictions that state that by 2030, some 30% of jobs won’t need human intervention. A majority of administrative jobs won’t require a human touch simply because computers can do a faster and better job at a much lower price. There are also some predictions that lawyers could be replaced by AI, but here are some reasons why they most likely won’t.

Lawyers Will Be Somewhat Affected by Machines

With new software being developed left and right, there’s no denying that parts of lawyering will be affected by AI. Lawyers will likely be moved to more strategic tasks that require advanced problem solving skills and emotional interaction; something AI is not capable of. The gray areas of law that need to be interpreted will still require a human to determine what’s right or wrong.

AI Will Help Lawyers

Take the example of pilots and autopilot technology. When autopilot technology became prevalent in the 1940s, many pilots were concerned they would lose their jobs due to this new advancement. 80 years later, that clearly didn’t happen and we still rely heavily on pilots to operate airplanes while the autopilot technology assists greatly in a pilot’s job. We can use this example for lawyers or any industry as well. AI will assist lawyers by automating tasks that otherwise would have taken valuable time that could be spend on advanced decision making. Lawyers will still be left will all of the great elements of their job, but without all of the mundane tasks they never really enjoyed doing anyway.

No One Really Enjoys the Grind

Lawyers are very intelligent people and enjoy the real, gritty work that puts their knowledge to the test. No one goes to law school to then spend years reviewing NDA’s and other tasks. Machines can help with the drudge work, therefore making lawyers more productive where it really matters. Paperwork can become a true burden, but with machines will be around to pick up the slack and automate nearly the entire process.

The Future Looks Great for Lawyers

The law field is growing and more people than ever before will get a job related to the law, contrary to popular belief. Technology grew rapidly over two decades ago and more jobs than ever were created during that time. Technology itself is creating a lot of jobs, but there are also new areas of law that require more people to be employed. Because of these new areas, we will likely see a worldwide increase in lawyers in the future.

Robots Can’t Think Like a Lawyer

What’s one of the most important things a lawyer is taught in law school? To think like a lawyer. It’s true that AI can be fed all of the knowledge that exits about the law and be able to access it in less than a second, but they can never be trusted with high level tasks. It isn’t because the AI wouldn’t be able to complete the tasks, but they lack the emotional intelligence to really know right from wrong. A majority of people looking for a lawyer would need the human interaction that comes from an actual lawyer as opposed to a robot.

Bottom Line

While some lawyers and other law professionals may be concerned by the rise of AI, it will most likely be an extremely valuable addition. Robots completing mundane tasks will leave lawyers time to completely focus on more creative and emotional tasks, making them better lawyers overall.