DANGERS OF AI LEGAL ADVICE
Dangers of AI Legal Advice
When people have a legal problem, it can be tempting to try AI for advice. This step, while it can provide informative data on your problem, it could lead to further problems.
AI can be very good at certain matters but in legal (and indeed medical) issues, it is safer to rely on professionals. Looking at AI is fine and it might mention matters which you can ask your solicitor about.
Each legal problem or case (if it goes to court) has its own unique elements which humans are best to evaluate than AI.
Matters to be aware of
Not all information given in AI is 100% dependable. The problem for the user is what is reliable and what is fake?
Some AI generated documents submitted to Irish courts have been thrown out as unreliable, untrue information amounting to misleading legal arguments and some have given fake citations of decisions.
By inserting confidential or sensitive information into an AI tool can create breach of confidentiality and result in further legal issues. There is a danger that the use of such information could be picked up elsewhere.
New legislation or precedent judgments can put AI tools out of date whereas your solicitor will be aware of any new changes of legislation or new case law where it affects your legal problem. For instance, if the Supreme Court decides today on a case which changes the law in some area, can you be sure that the AI tool you are using has been updated to include that?
Accountability
This is an important consideration. Solicitors and barristers when engaged by a client have professional indemnity insurance where they have acted below their accepted standard of service or negligently. If you follow AI legal advice and it all goes wrong for you, for example, say it gave you outdated law which you relied upon and lost, where do you stand on AI accountability? Out in the cold, no come-back, no professional indemnity, nothing.
The best advice will be from a solicitor who can give you individual attention on your problem.