Artificial Intelligence (AI) has moved firmly into the mainstream, and rarely has a new technology captured the public imagination as completely as Generative AI (GenAI). However, it is important to view GenAI as an evolutionary step rather than a standalone phenomenon, particularly as machine learning and other AI technologies continue to gain traction across industries, including the legal sector.
The Evolution of AI and the Role of GenAI
GenAI’s breakthrough stems from two significant innovations: parallel processing and self-supervision. The development of graphics processor units (GPUs) and tensor processing units (TPUs) has enabled data to be processed exponentially faster than traditional serial processing. Additionally, self-supervision has removed the necessity for manually labelled data, allowing AI systems to learn autonomously. As a result, large language models (LLMs) now underpin many AI applications, including those tailored for legal research, document review, and drafting.
How Lawyers are Using GenAI
Law firms and in-house legal teams are increasingly adopting GenAI for research, contract analysis, summarisation, and drafting of legal documents. Many organisations are currently implementing GenAI on a proof-of-concept basis, primarily for internal use. However, despite its potential, challenges remain, including concerns around accuracy (hallucination), copyright compliance, governance, and evolving regulatory requirements.
Overcoming Adoption Barriers
Just as Moore’s law predicted rapid advances in computing power, AI scaling laws indicate that GenAI capabilities are doubling every six months. As AI technology becomes more refined and its legal and regulatory frameworks mature, widespread adoption in legal practice is likely to follow.