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Generative AI & Legal Research

A guide for students and faculty on using generative AI for legal research and writing

News & commentary

LexisNexis Launches 2nd Gen Legal AI Assistant on Lexis+ AI, Dewey B Strategic, 4/23/24

Today LexisNexis Legal & Professional, is unveiling its second-generation legal generative AI Assistant on the Lexis+ AI platform. The new AI Assistant was developed based on user feedback. And now offers a more personalized experience All existing Lexis+ AI customers will have access to the enhanced AI Assistant.

Maybe We've Got The Artificial Intelligence In Law 'Problem' All Wrong, Above the Law, 4/2/24

When some hapless NY lawyers submitted a brief riddled with case citations hallucinated by consumer-facing artificial intelligence juggernaut ChatGPT and then doubled down on the error, we figured the resulting discipline would serve as a wake-up call to attorneys everywhere. But there would be more. And more. And more.

Study Reveals AI’s Potential in Enhancing Legal Aid Access, JD Journal, 3/21/24

A recent study conducted by Berkeley Law sheds light on the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in improving access to justice for low-income Americans. The research underscores the critical role of AI tools in bolstering efficiency for legal aid attorneys, yet highlights the necessity for better accessibility and training.

AI and Eyewitness Identification: A Double-Edged Sword, Criminal Law Library Blog, 3/12/24

This article discusses the use of AI in eyewitness identification, highlighting its potential benefits and challenges. It explains how AI can improve the accuracy and reliability of eyewitness identifications through advanced algorithms and facial recognition technology. However, it also raises concerns about privacy, bias, and the need for careful regulation to ensure fair and ethical use of AI in this context.

Letter on AI and Copyright Initiative Update, U.S. Copyright Office, 2/23/24

This letter summarizes the Office’s work so far and describes [their] agenda for the rest of 2024, including the release of the report, updates to the Compendium of U.S. Copyright Office Practices, and the publication of a proposed economic research agenda.

DOJ appoints first-ever chief AI officer – Will law firms follow?, Legal Insider, 2/23/24

The Department of Justice announced yesterday (22 February) that it has appointed it first-ever chief artificial intelligence officer, Princeton University professor Jonathan Mayer, to help the DOJ keep pace with rapidly evolving scientific and technological developments.

Few Legal Organizations Are Currently Adopting AI, Law 360, 2/13/24

Despite the hype and growing interest in artificial intelligence, few legal professionals belong to organizations that are adopting AI tools, according to the results of a new survey on Tuesday.

SEC's Gensler Promises 'War' On AI Fraud, Law360, 2/13/24

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler told an audience of Yale Law School students on Tuesday that financial firms using so-called artificial intelligence could face the agency's wrath if they don't put proper safeguards in place to combat fraud against investors.

4 Takeaways From USPTO Guidance On AI And Patents, Law360, 2/13/24

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's guidance on patents for inventions developed using artificial intelligence makes clear that help from the technology does not foreclose getting a patent, but sets standards that will spur litigation and create new obligations for attorneys, experts say. Here are four things to know about the office's take on the impact of AI on patents.

Public Interest Exemption Applies in Artists’ Case Over Gen AI, Per Court, The Fashion Law, 2/13/23 

A California federal court has sided with a group of artists in the latest round of the copyright case they waged against generative AI platform providers, Stability AI, DeviantArt, and Midjourney (collectively, the "defendants").

USPTO Says AI-Assisted Invention Patents Hinge On Humans, Law360, 2/12/24

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on Monday issued guidance on how it will determine whether inventions developed with the assistance of artificial intelligence can be patented, explaining that a human must have made a "significant contribution."

Risky Speech Systems: Tort Liability for AI-Generated Illegal Speech, Jotwell, 2/6/24

This article discusses the legal implications of AI-generated illegal speech and the potential application of tort liability in such cases. It explores the challenges in holding AI systems accountable for harmful speech, including issues of causation and foreseeability. The author suggests that adopting a risk-oriented approach to tort liability may provide a framework for addressing the complexities of AI-generated speech while balancing free speech concerns.

Planned Review of Current Laws for AI Era Makes Copyright Office the Place to Be, Inc., 1/25/25

A quiet office of the Library of Congress is now the locus of some of the most ardent lobbying in Washington, as tech executives and music and news business leaders seek out the ear of Shira Perlmutter, register of the Copyright Office as the agency reviews the laws on the books to adapt them to the age of AI.

Thomson Reuters Delivers Key Milestones in Its AI Technology Strategy, Legal IT Professionals, 1/24/24

Thomson Reuters, a global content and technology company, is advancing its AI technology strategy announcing today the launch of its second and third AI-enabled solutions in the last three months.

Researchers Find Legal Errors 'Pervasive' In Top AI Models, Law360 Pulse, 1/12/24

Large language models regularly give incorrect responses when asked legal questions, making it crucial for this technology to be supervised when used in law practice, according to a recently published study by researchers at Stanford University's RegLab and Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence.

What are the risks and upsides for AI in government review?, Futurity, 12/27/23

[NYU] Law professor Catherine Sharkey explains how artificial intelligence is being used to tackle the arduous work of keeping our federal agencies in check.

Legal Generative AI Developing Despite Some 'Bad Lawyering', Law360, 12/7/23

Despite some gaffes from lawyers in the past year and challenges ahead, a group of experts talked Thursday about the potential positive uses of generative artificial intelligence in litigation.

ChatGPT Turns One Year Old. Here's What's Next In Legal, Law360, 11/30/23

The chatbot reached 100 million users in January, less than two months after its release, which analysts at UBS said made it the fastest-growing consumer internet application in history. While that reach speaks to effects in wider society, ChatGPT's ease of use and capability to mimic human conversation and the "artificial intelligence" label has provoked a big debate over the consequences of unleashing the technology in the legal profession.

Harvard Law School Professor Finds ChatGPT Invents Fake Law Less Than The Supreme Court, Above the Law, 11/28/23

This article discusses ChatGPT's performance in responding to inquiries about campaign finance law posed by Lawrence Lessig. While ChatGPT accurately reflected existing caselaw on SuperPACs, it struggled with an opening answer that didn't align with constitutional history. Lessig's follow-up questions highlight ChatGPT's limitations and the importance of refining its knowledge base. The article emphasizes the potential of legal AI but cautions against overreliance on existing caselaw, pointing out the risk of echoing flawed legal reasoning.

Review: vLex's Vincent AI, AI Law Librarians, 11/30/23

Vincent is vLex’s response to implementing AI into legal research and it’s the most impressive one that I’ve seen for legal research. Damien Riehl was kind enough to give us a personalized demonstration and it was a real treat to be able to ask questions about it in real-time. I would say that the best way to see this in action is to schedule a demo for yourself but if you want to hear my hot-takes about the platform, please keep reading.

California Bar Passes Disclosure and Billing Guidelines for AI, Bloomberg Law, 11/16/23

The California Bar has approved guidelines for lawyers using artificial intelligence (AI), becoming a pioneer in AI ethics guidance for legal practice. The recommendations suggest disclosure of AI use to clients, avoiding hourly fees for AI-related time, and ensuring human review of AI-generated outputs for accuracy and bias. This move represents an interim step in providing guidance for evolving technology while further rules are considered.

AI Chatbot Outperforms Human On Legal Ethics Exam, Law360 Pulse, 11/16/23

With a recent study showing GPT-4 excelled at the bar exam, this article discusses an additional study conducted to test four generative AI models on a legal ethics exam. The experiment included questions based on the style and format of the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam, testing the GPT-3.5, GPT-4, Claude 2, and PaLM 2 models. While two of the models passed the exam, two did not, emphasizing the potential, but not perfection, of generative AI in assisting lawyers with ethical compliance and professional responsibilities. 

Major Thomson Reuters News: Westlaw Gets Generative AI Research Plus Integration with Casetext CoCounsel; Gen AI Coming Soon to Practical Law, Law Next, 11/15/23

Thomson Reuters' legal research platform, Westlaw, has integrated generative AI research capabilities, offering users advanced legal research functionalities. Additionally, Westlaw has announced an upcoming integration with Casetext CoCounsel, enhancing its offerings with AI tools to aid in legal document drafting. These developments aim to provide legal professionals with improved research efficiency and comprehensive insights.

LexisNexis Expands Legal Generative AI Ecosystems for Lawyers & Law Schools, Lexis, 11/14/23

LexisNexis launches Lexis Snapshot with a free preview for commercial customers and introduces Lexis Create enhanced with generative AI capabilities in Microsoft Word.

American Bar Association and AI, Criminal Law Library Blog, 10/23/24

This article discusses the American Bar Association's engagement with AI in the legal field. It highlights the ABA's efforts to address AI-related issues, including ethics, professional responsibility, and AI's impact on the legal profession. The ABA has established a task force to examine these issues, focusing on AI's implications for the practice of law, legal ethics, and access to justice. The article underscores the growing significance of AI in the legal domain and the ABA's commitment to addressing its implications.

Governments race to regulate AI toolsReuters, 10/6/23

In 2023, governments worldwide are accelerating efforts to regulate AI tools. These regulations aim to address ethical concerns, ensure data privacy, and establish standards for AI usage across various sectors. Policymakers are focusing on AI systems in healthcare, law, and finance, as well as algorithms used by law enforcement agencies. These actions reflect a growing awareness of AI's potential impact on society and the need for responsible governance in the AI sector.

The Path to Generative AI Proficiency For Legal Professionals, Above the Law, 10/5/23

This article discusses the path to proficiency in generative AI for legal professionals. It highlights the importance of understanding and integrating AI tools, like ChatGPT, into legal practice. Legal professionals can benefit from AI tools in legal research, document drafting, and more. The article also emphasizes the need for legal education to incorporate AI and ethics training. As AI continues to play a significant role in the legal field, legal professionals must adapt and gain proficiency in these emerging technologies.

Major Law Firms Form Consortium to Develop AI Training through SkillBurst Interactive, LawSites, 10/3/23

Major law firms have formed a consortium to develop AI training through SkillBurst Interactive, making this subscription-based training accessible to other firms. The consortium aims to provide quality training in artificial intelligence, allowing legal professionals to harness AI's potential and integrate it into their practice effectively. This collaboration demonstrates the legal industry's recognition of the importance of AI education and its commitment to fostering AI proficiency among its members.

AI Chatbots Can Help Lawyers - If They Do Their Homework, Law360, 9/14/23

This article discusses how AI chatbots can be valuable tools for lawyers if used effectively. It emphasizes the importance of lawyers doing their homework when implementing AI chatbots into their practice. This involves understanding the capabilities and limitations of the technology, ensuring it complies with ethical and legal standards, and using it to enhance productivity and client services.

Top 8 Legal Areas Impacted by Generative AILexis, 8/31/23

This article explores the top eight legal areas significantly influenced by generative AI and highlights the importance for in-house legal teams to focus on them. These areas include contract analysis, intellectual property, e-discovery, risk management, compliance, data privacy, cybersecurity, and access to justice. It discusses how generative AI can transform these legal domains and suggests that in-house legal teams need to adapt to leverage AI's potential benefits while addressing ethical and practical considerations to ensure responsible and effective implementation.

International Legal Generative AI Report, Lexis, 8/22/23

This report examines generative AI's impact on international legal practice, covering various applications, benefits (efficiency and cost reduction), and challenges (ethical and privacy concerns). It emphasizes the importance of legal professionals staying informed about AI developments to serve clients effectively.

Generative Interpretation, David A. Hoffman & Yonathan A. Arbel, 8/13/23

The authors introduce generative interpretation as a novel approach for estimating contractual meaning using large language models. They provide case studies demonstrating how AI models can help factfinders determine the ordinary meaning, quantify ambiguity, and address gaps in contracts, along with assessing the probative value of extrinsic evidence. They also highlight best practices for AI model use and its implications for judicial practice and contract theory, suggesting that generative interpretation can offer an efficient and accurate middle path for contract interpretation, potentially becoming the primary method.

Optimism, caution for integration of generative AI into legal professions abound at AALL 2023, Wolters Kluwer Strategic Perspectives, 7/31/23 

Session participants discussed how law librarians and knowledge management (“KM”) professionals could best integrate new AI tools such as ChatGPT into their institutions—and what not to do.

What Does Generative AI Mean for the Justice System?, GovTech, 7/28/23

Generative AI is entering the legal system with the potential to translate legal jargon, assist in legal processes, and provide accessible legal information. Despite its usefulness, there are concerns about accuracy and bias, and the importance of human judgment in the justice system is emphasized. This technology can also create informative videos, answer logistical questions, and improve access to legal information for those without legal representation. Moreover, it has the potential to enhance out-of-court dispute resolution by making the process faster and more cost-effective.

Generative AI could radically alter the practice of law, The Economist, 6/6/23

This article discusses how generative AI has the potential to transform the legal profession by automating various tasks, such as document generation and research. It highlights the potential benefits, such as increased efficiency and cost savings, but also raises concerns about the technology's accuracy and ethical implications. The article emphasizes that generative AI is poised to reshape the practice of law but needs careful consideration and regulation to ensure its responsible and ethical use.

The Implications of ChatGPT for Legal Services and Society, The Practice Magazine, March/April 2023

This article delves into the implications of ChatGPT for the legal profession and society. It discusses how generative AI, like ChatGPT, is transforming the legal landscape, offering benefits such as improved legal research and document drafting. It also raises concerns about issues like accuracy, bias, and the potential displacement of human lawyers. The article emphasizes the need for responsible and ethical use of AI in the legal sector, underlining that ChatGPT and similar tools are valuable aids but should not replace the crucial role of human legal professionals.