Reflecting on my 20 years of professional tech developments, I’ve seen lots come and go but Open AI’s ChatGPT is a game changer. In my previous article I described the evolution from rules based chatbots to AI chatbots, but ChatGPT represents a significant shift, it feels like we're entering a new dawn in history. The exciting thing to me is that the large language model chatbot technology is an interface that creates collaboration between humans and AI.
If there's something to take from this article, it's that technology just looks different now and different from what most of us anticipated.
Why is ChatGPT so different?
There have been many technologies that have had an impact on our society, personal computers revolutionised the way we work. The internet transformed the way we communicate and mobile phones changed how we consume information.
ChatGPT is as significant because it represents a breakthrough in AI and natural language processing. The tech that powers ChatGPT generates human-like responses at a level that was previously unimaginable.
The key differences for me are the shifts between ChatGPT and other AI technologies, specifically it’s ability to understand context. This is due to the large amounts of data that the model has been trained on, which allows it to recognise patterns in language and make more predictions about what a user might ask.
Another key difference is that ChatGPT is a general-purpose language model, which means it can be used for a wide range of applications and tasks, which makes it more appealing to more audiences. By contrast other AI technologies are designed for specific tasks, for example voice assistants are limited by their ability to respond to complex questions, learn and adapt.
This model could be used to develop more advanced chatbots and digital assistants, perhaps that’s why ChatGPT has gained 1.16 billion users in just four months - its adaptable and people are gaining an advantage by using it.
But if you look at this as a business tool, specifically a law firm, what large language model chatbots are becoming is significant. It is time for law firms to reassess how they deliver some of their legal services.
What are large language model Chatbots, similar to ChatGPT, doing for Law Firms?
Research from The Law Society found a 40-50% increase in a firm’s efficiency due to machine learning chatbots. They can help law firms improve productivity, reduce workload, provide more accurate and accessible legal services to their clients 24 hours a day. The question we get asked is specifically how should Law firms use AI Chatbots?
Here are just a few ideas for you to consider.
Legal Research
They canassist lawyers with legal research by providing quick and accurate answers to legal questions. Lawyers can use the language model to search for case law, statutes, and other legal documents to support their arguments.
Contract Review
Chatbots can help review contracts more efficiently by identifying key provisions and potential issues. The model can also help identify any missing clauses or potential risks in the agreement.
Document Generation
We have developed a Chatbot that creates legal documents such as employment contracts, legal agreements with no human intervention. The subsequent contract can be signed by all parties online with a DocuSign integration.
Client Communication
Theycan help law firms improve their client communication by providing quick and accurate responses to client inquiries. The model can assist in answering routine questions, screening enquires and scheduling appointments. They are very good at providing general legal advice.
Compliance
ChatGPT can help law firms stay up-to-date with changing regulations and compliance requirements. The model can assist in analysing regulations, identifying compliance risks, and developing compliance strategies.
Conclusion
You’d be wrong to focus on a chatbot’s short comings because what we are seeing now is them at the worst they will ever be. You’d be wrong to be a late adopter who traditionally learns from mistakes made by early adopters. Be a first mover because AI learns from every interaction, so those who have started developing a chatbot are already ahead of you.
The potential impact of ChatGPT on our lives is enormous and you should consider how you integrate these systems into your law firm. This form of AI will become integral to what we all do in the future, we shouldn’t be afraid of it but embrace it. As George Bernard Shaw says “progress is impossible without change and those who cannot change their minds cannot change anything”.
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