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ChatGPT is all anyone can seem to talk about these days, from grandmas to grade schoolers. That is how you know when a technology has captured the popular zeitgeist.
Now, if you haven’t used it yet or are unfamiliar with it, ChatGPT is what is called a “generative AI” tool that is rendered in the form of a chatbot. Skipping through all the technology terms of art, what that really means is that ChatGPT (and tools like it) can generate unique responses to questions. Neither is this like a Google search, because you can actually converse with ChatGPT, like you would a human, in order to clarify requests. And, like a human, ChatGPT and other generative AI tools have “learned” how to respond, by studying texts — information that programmers feed the software, as part of a process called “deep learning.” So, in reality, an AI is just like you, in that it learns from external sources and crafts unique responses to external stimuli. Except it lives forever.
Now, if you’ve ever seen a science fiction movie, you know what comes next: The AI goes rogue, takes over the world and exterminates humanity. But we’re not quite there yet. Right now, AI is an assistive technology for law firms, in that it can streamline workflows and save time and effort. Probably as you’re reading this, lawyers are using artificial intelligence tools to write correspondence, perform legal research tasks, draft documents and more. Of course, if you’re aware of AI tools and how attorneys have been using them, you’re also aware of the downsides — that relying on AI to provide the answers to the test is a fool’s errand. AI will make up citations, produce occasional errors and, sometimes, will be unavailable to generate any kind of response due to excessive use.
So think of artificial intelligence (at this stage of the game) as a promising young student that needs to gain more experience before becoming a highly productive member of the workforce. That means you have to provide clear instructions (known as “prompts”) to get it to do what you want. If you can conceive of working with ChatGPT in the same way that you would onboard a law school intern to your practice, you’re viewing the relationship in the correct fashion. And, just as you would do with an intern, you will review and revise any work that the artificial intelligence generates.
However, if ChatGPT can get you 90% of the way to a completed work product, you’re in business.
Just remain wary of client confidences, because ChatGPT and tools like it are not as secure as your encrypted storage points for your law firm’s documents. So, never use real client names, for example.
If you want to try out ChatGPT to get a feel for what AI can deliver for your law practice, you can sign up for free. (ChatGPT Plus, a paid version @ $20 per month, offers greater availability and first access to new features.)•
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