I, inhuman lawyer: Developing artificial intelligence in the legal profession

Abstract

What are the possibilities of having AI lawyers in the true sense—as autonomous, decision-making agents that can legally advise us or represent us? This chapter delves into the problems and possibilities of creating such systems. This idea is inevitably faced with a multitude of challenges, among them the challenge of translating law into an algorithm being the most fundamental for the beginning of the creation of an AI lawyer. Moreover, the chapter examines the linguistic aspects of such a translation and later moves on into the ethical aspect of creating such lawyers and ethically codifying their conduct. This is followed by a brief deliberation on whether Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics would be helpful in this regard. The ethical discussion results in a proposal for a concept of Fairness by Design, conceived as the minimum standard for ethical behavior instilled in all AI agents. The chapter also attempts to give a general overview of the current state-of-the-art AI technologies employed in the legal domain as well as imagines the future of AI in Law. Subsequently, the chapter imagines an AI agent deal with and resolve the “Solomon test” of splitting the baby. Finally, it is concluded that the advantage of having AI lawyers can be measured by the possibility of redefining the legal profession in its entirety as well as making legal advice and justice more accessible to all.