Journal Articles

 

The Artificial Intelligence and Ethics plenary, moderated by Rohan Kale of Elastic, featured two speakers, Christina Huang from Faegre Drinker and Sharon Crane from Haynes Boone, who shared their insights on the evolving role of AI in the legal profession and its ethical implications.

Crane traced the history of AI back to its early conceptualizations in the 1950s and 60s, mentioning Alan Turing's pioneering work and the development of early chatbots and autonomous programs in the 1980s. Crane shared a personal anecdote about a recent interaction with her car's AI system, highlighting the need for caution when using AI, especially in video and image generation. She stressed that while AI can augment human intelligence and improve efficiency, it is crucial to always verify its accuracy. Crane also noted that clients might increasingly demand the use of AI for cost and efficiency benefits, and legal professionals must be transparent about the risks. She mentioned that AI's use in courts is becoming more common, with regulations emerging to guide its application, and highlighted ongoing legal cases involving AI and copyright issues.

Huang noted that, “AI has profound impacts in our lives, especially as attorneys.” She pointed out that it has the potential to change core functions within the legal field but emphasized the importance of diligence in checking AI's work for accuracy. Huang raised the critical question of inventorship in AI-generated innovations and underscored the need for legal professionals to use AI competently and responsibly. She predicted that in the next five years, AI will become more ubiquitous in the legal profession, transforming how attorneys work and interact with clients