Since the introduction of ChatGPT in November 2022, generative AI (GAI) has advanced significantly within the legal field. Many current applications focus on enhancing legal research and extraction of data, but the potential reach and impact is much broader, with the capacity to reform legal tech.
Whilst GAI acceptance is growing in the legal industry, some companies are acting cautiously with adoption or development of this technology. However, media coverage no longer exhibits the same optimism seen at its inception. While initial predictions about AI capabilities may have been overblown, the power and potential of practical applications for GAI deserve consideration.
We are in the early stages of tapping into the full potential of GAI, which is evident by continuous product advancements demonstrating a growing demand for this technology. Its influence within the legal tech industry is apparent, despite ongoing regulatory uncertainty and pending copyright lawsuits against major GAI providers like Google and OpenAI.
Within legal tech, workflow automation is set to be notably impacted by GAI. Some emerging uses center around the creation of virtual agents who answer frequently asked questions related to company procedures and policies, thereby enhancing accessibility and implementation of workflow automation. Such GAI driven virtual agents can be a significant asset in providing real-time, reliable responses, which also mitigate privacy and copyright concerns.
Furthermore, virtual agents can direct users to relevant automated workflows designed by the legal team. Impressive possibilities could arise from the integration of these virtual agents with commonly used applications such as Teams, Slack, or Salesforce. This could streamline the process for business users and sparing legal teams from answering routine queries, leading to greater efficiency and efficacy.
The long-term vision for GAI in workflow automation involves the creation of “independent agents”. These agents would be powerful GAI systems programmed to lead complex tasks, by coordinating with other AI systems, accessing information and utilizing software tools independently. This could result in a model that simplifies and combines multiple legal tech skills and tools, fostering enhanced efficiency and reduced costs in workflow design and implementation stages.
An interesting proposition in the utilization of GAI is its capacity to replace the need for complex technical integrations. A GAI-driven virtual agent could automatically start an NDA workflow by first cross-referencing an existing NDA from the CLM with the respective party. If it doesn’t exist, the GAI agent could generate a document, opening multiple opportunities for integration elimination and making GAI a major component in workflow automation execution.
With ongoing advancements in GAI, we can envision consolidation scenarios where workflow automation, contract lifecycle management (CLM), playbook management, matter management, and knowledge management merge into a singular space. This integration of purpose-fit tools with GAI may lead to a lesser number of multipurpose tools becoming market leaders over time.
In conclusion, the potential for foundational changes in workflow automation and process management are clear. It seems we are entering a new era of innovation and productivity. As we look forward to broader capabilities, we should be proactive in embracing practical use cases, validate their real value, and be ready to scale up the AI maturity curve quickly.
In Contributors’ Notes, Brian Hupp, a founding leadership team member of the Corporate Legal Operations Consortium (CLOC), emphasizes collaboration with legal technology partners. Brandi Pack, with a diverse background across legal, hospitality, education, and technology industries, is a thought leader in the application of AI in the workplace, particularly in its impact on the legal landscape. Sumi Trombley, after practicing in law firms and in-house legal departments for over a decade, provides strategic guidance and cost-effective solutions.