While AI can enhance a human lawyer's ability to make judgments and do her job better, it is also true that humans will never trust justice or advice coming from an AI. And, solo lawyers will never have to worry about managers asking them to train an AI to do their job. Solos may not make a lot of money; but, we still have a job.
Artificial Intelligence Is Changing The Legal Industry For The Better. The human like robots on WestWorld are not the future. They aren't even the future of law. They are fictional beings who populate a world of magic and mystery. They are not real. The practice of law is grounded in facts, and client relationships, and dispute resolution. Artificial Intelligence can analyze more data, more accurately, and faster than humans can. However, AI can't make human judgments. AI can't do a better job of connecting with humans in a drama of human conduct. Get over it, Hollywood. I have no objection to the glorification of fantasy creatures in order to get viewers or votes. But, we must always remember that the modern courtroom is the same as it has always been, a place for human beings to resolve their differences in a fair setting. Modern law practice requires human emotion, tempered by human rationality. Enjoy the latest episode of the WestWorld fantasy. But, leave your magical thinking at the door. We have real work to do.
It is difficult to be me. Telling the world about the latest evil technology that will take over law practice, and make lawyers obsolete, is not my idea of a good time. And, the fact that my tech futurist bones are telling me that, in the future, Terminator Robots will be roaming the countryside, blowing humans away, is frightening. But, doom and gloom sells, so technologists keep touting the next advance as a necessary progression for the human race and lawyers, specifically. The only problem here is that the natural progression of technology heads to a robot controlled world conclusion. But, don't cry for me, fellow lawyers and citizens. I have a plan to download my consciousness into a robot with an indestructible exoskeleton, and to live forever.
I have written before about my doubts that robotic lawyers will replace lawyers in the future. Person to person contact is important to many attorney-client relationships. Many legal problems have an emotional and human component that can't be duplicated in a robot. Yet. However, I have great confidence that AI will enhance human lawyers' ability to practice law. This is already happening, as search engines, data analysis, and prediction engines are already being used by lawyers. But, what if robots become indistinguishable from humans? What if a human looking robot had the knowledge of every legal principle and every previous case in history? What if these future robots could do our jobs for us? What if the Terminator isn't the only possible future of advanced robotics? Sometimes, I am sad to reach the twilight of a long life. I would like to see if that is a possible future.
The New I Robot. Michael Wade has an interesting take on the advance of robot technology. It ties in to my post about the new virtual reality technology that involves the use of wearable gloves and headgear to imitate the real world. In fact, we need not fear the coming age of super robots that will be stronger, faster and smarter than we are. We need to fear the humans who control them, and the humans who, with enhanced tech, become them. Enhanced humans are going to be dangerous. We will first use them in wars. After that, bad people will use them to do bad things to innocents. Sometime, I am glad that I am old.
