“Technology is relevant insofar as it fosters efficiency, transparency, and objectivity in public government. AI is present to provide a facilitative tool to judges in order to recheck or evaluate the work, the process, and the judgments.”

• Justice D.Y. Chandrachud

Some of the best scenes in the television show “Star Trek” (the original version) are those involving Mr. Spock asking the computer a question and the computer sputtering out the answer in the form of a conversation. It goes without saying that a computer that could talk and interact was a long way off at this point as typewriters were still in vogue and the first calculators (which only performed addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) had just hit the market. However, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are no longer considered to be distant.

Every innovation in the legal profession has been revolutionary, from typewriters to computers, from using libraries just for legal research to using online platforms to access pertinent case laws, to fax machines to emails. Although the global market for legal services is one of the biggest, it is nevertheless thought to operate with a minimal level of digitalization. Artificial intelligence has the potential to change how lawyers currently practice law and how India views the rule of law. 

For example, AI powered legal research tools can help lawyers quickly locate relevant rules, regulations, cases and statutes, while machine learning algorithms can assist with document review, research and analysis freeing up time for lawyers to focus on more complex and higher-level tasks. Additionally, it can provide legal professionals with insights and predictions based on large amounts of data, helping them make better decisions and provide more effective representation to clients. 

Overall, the increased use of AI and ML in the legal field has a positive impact on the legal tech business, creating new market opportunities and driving innovation in the industry. It can come in handy for contract analysis, litigation review and prediction, and legal research. It is certain that AI will take off like wildfire and become every lawyer’s indispensable assistant.

AI related startups like Spot draught, Casemine, CaseIQ, Nearlaw, and Practice League can analyze legal documents and reduce paperwork by letting clients draft and sign contracts, connecting various case laws, pointing out any potential gaps in the law, and offering alternate arguments. They can also help with legal matters by comprehending case rankings and working with tech giants like Google and Amazon to integrate AI capabilities.

However, there is an underlying concern about the potential for bias in AI systems and the need for ethical considerations in their use. A strong regulatory framework that outlines the responsibilities and liabilities of this intelligent machine must be established in order for this to work. The legal industry is still in the early stages of incorporating AI and ML, and it remains to be seen how these technologies will continue to shape the practice of law. 

Written by,

Arushi Sharma
Seema Patel