In the rapidly evolving landscape of legal technology, concerns about artificial intelligence replacing human lawyers have grown increasingly prevalent. A new video featuring an AI expert from Thomson Reuters directly addresses these concerns with a clear message:
More than three-quarters (77%) of respondents overall said they believe AI will have a high or transformational impact on their work over the next five years, according to the Thomson Reuters Institute’s 2024 Future of Professionals report. This was 10 percentage points higher than in the 2023 report.
At the same time, fears about job loss within the legal industry persist. Indeed, the perception that AI will replace lawyers endures, even though fears that widespread AI adoption across professional work would lead to job loss has now given way to acknowledgement that there needs to be humans in the loop to keep AI work ethical and on track.
In fact, AI is NOT a lawyer. And human oversight of AI output in lawyering workflow is critical.
Jake Heller, Head of Legal AI Product Innovation at Thomson Reuters explains how in this new video.
More and more, professionals believe that more AI-specialist and technology-related jobs will be created, according to the Thomson Reuters Future of Professionals research. Rather than viewing AI as a replacement for legal professionals, Heller encourages us to see it as a sophisticated tool—one that can process vast amounts of data and provide valuable insights for legal research and analysis.
What makes this perspective particularly compelling is the analogy that AI functions much like a junior associate fresh out of law school. It can assist, draft documents, and analyze information, but it fundamentally lacks the human qualities essential to legal practice—judgment, empathy, and understanding of human nuance. Just as a senior attorney would review a new lawyer’s work, AI output requires human oversight.
The solution is straightforward yet crucial—embed humans in the loop. This means having experienced lawyers and judges review and approve AI-generated work to ensure accuracy, ethical compliance, and alignment with established legal standards.
Perhaps most importantly, combining AI’s efficiency with human expertise can enhance legal processes without compromising professional integrity. Legal professionals must embrace AI as a partner rather than viewing it as a threat. It reminds us that technology should serve humanity, not the other way around.
