The Impacts of Artificial Intelligence on Research in the Legal Profession

Abstract

Legal research is an indispensable skill for lawyers. Therefore, it is always necessary for lawyers to engage in legal research in due course of solving various legal problems. Although the purpose and methodology of the research may vary from lawyer to lawyer, doing research is a common activity. On the other hand, the quest to assess the impacts of artificial intelligence (hereinafter ‘AI’) on legal research allows one to measure the influence of AI on the legal profession in general. Moreover, with the advent of Legal AI, it is now evident that the legal profession is not immune from disruption. Accordingly, this article discusses the impacts of AI on research in the legal profession in general in accomplishing various lawyerly tasks by different legal professionals. The aim of the study is to discuss the current and future positive and negative impacts of AI on research in the legal profession. The study is qualitative in nature and it predominantly relies on document analysis of the relevant primary and secondary sources. Accordingly, the study finds that research in the legal profession is not immune from the impacts of AI and AI influences research in the legal profession, both positively and negatively in enumerable ways. Moreover, it is found that the positive impacts of AI are far greater than its negative externalities, which are usually temporary and related to the disruptive effects of technology on the legal profession. In the future, with the advent of Strong AI, the impact of AI on legal research will be far greater than mere automation.