Last June, just a few months after OpenAI’s release of ChatGPT, some New York City lawyers used the tool to compose a very bad letter. The AI cited fake cases, leading to an uproar, an angry judge and two very embarrassed lawyers. It was proof that while bots like ChatGPT can be helpful, one needs to scrutinize their work carefully, especially in a legal context.
The case caught the eye of the folks at LexisNexis, a legal software company that offers tools to help attorneys find the right jurisdiction for their legal arguments. The company sees the potential of AI in reducing much of the day-to-day legal work that every attorney undertakes, but also recognizes these very real issues as it begins its journey to generative AI.
Jeff Reihl, Chief Technology Officer at LexisNexis, understands the value of AI. In fact, his company has been building the technology into its platform for some time. But the ability to add ChatGPT-like features to its legal toolbox would help lawyers work more efficiently: they help compose short letters and find citations faster.
“We as an organization have been working with AI technologies for several years. I think what’s really changed a lot since the release of ChatGPT in November is the ability to generate text and the conversational aspects that this technology brings,” Reihl told TechCrunch+.