Q. Everything you search on for information these days seems to offer an AI solution. The information and the solutions appear instantly, and they are free. So, if it is quicker and cheaper to use AI, why should I use a solicitor?
A. Artificial Intelligence programs can speed up research but should be treated with extreme caution. AI bots scour the web at incredibly fast speeds, accumulate masses of information, disseminate it and despatch it to the end user. However, AI bots have no way of knowing whether the information they collect is accurate or up to date.
Even law firms use AI bots, but no solicitor will rely on the AI acquired information without subsequently reviewing it and verifying it, exactly as they would if the research was carried out by a paralegal or trainee solicitor. AI bots do not have the professional knowledge and experience that a solicitor has, nor can they give specific, tailored advice based on legal, local and logical solutions, among other ‘real world’ factors. Which is why human intelligence beats artificial intelligence every time.
Legal documents are exactly what they claim to be – correct to a point of law. But if you decide to make a DIY Will or conduct a DIY divorce that later goes wrong due to poor AI recommendations or incorrectly completed documentation, it can cause you massive problems and untold distress.
More and more often we are finding that clients are only instructing us once a problem has occurred, but by then the ship may have sailed, an unfair and inequitable agreement reached, and regret comes too late. All we can do then is attempt to unpick the problem and repair the damage.
People need legal advice at the most stressful times of their lives, to deal with what are often the most expensive transactions of their lives. Every case is different and one size AI script does not fit all. Legal work needs to be done right.
This question has been answered by Nathan Wright, a Partner with GHP Legal. If you would like to speak to someone about this or any other legal matter, please visit our website www.ghplegal.com and use the contact us form, or call us on: Wrexham 01978 291456, Llangollen 01978 860313, Oswestry 01691 659194
