One third of Aussie lawyers using ‘unofficial’ bots, increasing the risk of data breaches: Thomson Reuters

Lawyers have adopted AI tools to create more work life balance, but how they are using it has raised key questions and risks, according to a new survey.

Thomson Reuters vice president for Asia and emerging markets Carl Olson says using AI is not just about delivering an ‘economic dividend’.

Almost one-third of Australian lawyers are using “bring-your-own” artificial intelligence tools to work, increasing the risk of Medibank-style data breaches and “other unintended consequences”, a study has revealed.

Media and information conglomerate Thomson Reuters surveyed about 900 Australian lawyers to gauge how the much-hyped technology is disrupting the nation’s legal profession.

The report found lawyers were turning to BYO tools – like OpenAI’s ChatGPT – because 72 per cent said their firms were yet to introduce an official AI assistant.

Thomson Reuters vice president for Asia and emerging markets Carl Olson said this underscored the need to adopt enterprise-grade solutions that were designed to keep data safe. He said if used correctly AI would deliver significant benefits to the legal industry.

A separate Thomson Reuters survey – involving more than 2200 legal, tax, and risk and compliance professionals – earlier this year found AI could save them up to 12 hours a week over the next five years.

This translated to a 200-hour a year saving and, for a US lawyer an additional $US100,000 ($151,000) in billable hours.

But Mr Olson said it was not just about an “economic dividend”.

“One anecdote from the survey from memory was ‘I get to have lunch’ or something to that effect,” Mr Olson said. “I thought that was really interesting. I mean it’s kind of obvious.”

Thomson Reuters – helmed by Australian Steve Hasker – has been jostling for pole position in dominating the AI market for lawyers and professional services. It acquired Casetext – a legal start-up with an AI-powered assistant for law professionals – for $US650m last year. It is also investing $US100m a year in developing and integrating AI across its product portfolio, including its flagship legal research tool, Westlaw Precision.

Law firms – including Australia’s biggest MinterEllison – have been using AI to write the first drafts of some of its legal advice.

But the rise of AI is also creating challenges for firms, with Thomson Reuters’s Australian survey revealing 42 per cent feel there is a stigma associated with using AI. A similar sentiment has been reported at Telstra with software engineers believing that using the technology is cheating.

“I have a couple of thoughts on that,” Mr Olson said. “For one, whether they perceive they’re cheating, I think firms pride themselves on professional excellences and so they’re concerned about anything that could be besmirching their character.

“One of the stats was 95 per cent of the respondents believe AI is no substitute for thorough legal work but it helps accelerate it over time.

“This is a tool to actually help a lawyer to their job to a higher standard or do it more quickly and more efficiently.”

Originally published as One third of Aussie lawyers using ‘unofficial’ bots, increasing the risk of data breaches: Thomson Reuters