Do you remember a 1970s television program called The Six Million Dollar Man? It starred Lee Majors as astronaut/test pilot Steve Austin. After a horrible accident, government doctors “rebuilt” Austin by giving him “bionic” limbs. In the process, they made him “better, stronger and faster.”
To date, this particular technology has eluded us. Even so, significant advances such as the advent of the internet and emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) have drastically changed the way we live. These advances have also raised serious moral and ethical concerns. One is that AI may make many jobs traditionally done by people obsolete. The legal profession is not exempt from those concerns. Is it something you should be considering right now? While the short answer is “no” we encourage you to keep reading to learn why you need to use a lawyer instead of artificial intelligence.
What is artificial intelligence? Put in its simplest terms, AI is the replication of human intellect and aptitude in machines designed to think like us and copy our actions. The term is also used to describe any machine capable of engaging in human activities such as learning and problem solving.
AI is now used in or being considered for use in:
- Personal assistants that respond to questions (Siri and Alexa)
- Self-driving cars
- Certain medical applications
- Certain financial applications
- Certain legal applications
Theoretically, the public can access these or similar tools, at a cost. Eventually, they may even become universally accessible. After all, the internet currently provides easier access to legal information than ever before. No matter what, there will always be pros and cons, and you need to understand why it is necessary to use a lawyer instead of artificial intelligence
Hiring a lawyer will always be your best bet. Proponents say AI streamlines mundane, but important tasks. This can, in turn, free lawyers from burdensome, time-consuming aspects of their jobs. These advocates also say the use of applications equipped with AI improves the bottom line and client management services. Even so, there are skills unique to successful lawyers that machines equipped with AI simply can not replicate. Among these are:
- Effective communication
- An open mind and the ability to successfully advocate for a client
- The ability to address and resolve conflict
- An ability to be collegial while embracing and understanding differences
- The ability to learn from past experiences and incorporate this learned knowledge to current client cases
In other words, the best lawyers are not necessarily those who are most adept at using AI tools. Instead, the best lawyers work with you. They understand the local rules available to you and have a community network of other lawyers who are able to help you. The best attorneys may be simply those who are most adept at advocating for the people they represent.
The bottom line for us is that we are here to help and we want you to use a lawyer instead of artificial intelligence for your own best interests. We live in this community and want you, as our friends and neighbors, to know that we are here to support you at all times. If you are considering hiring a lawyer, or need legal advice, please do not wait to contact our firm at any time, day or night, to schedule a free case evaluation.