Professionals across many industries are grappling with questions about how best to use the many new available AI tools to their advantage. Among many others, legal operations specialists are trying to determine which processes and tasks are best suited to AI and whether the benefits of adopting new ways of working outweigh the disruptions these changes can cause.
At Wolters Kluwer’s ELM Amplify 2024 User Conference, the session “Getting Real with Artificial Intelligence in Legal Ops: Disruptor or Opportunity?” delved into the practicalities and potential of AI in the legal ops field. These are some of the insights the session participants touched on.
Understanding the reasons for AI
One of the primary themes of the session was the importance of understanding the reasons behind implementing AI. It’s not about adopting AI for the sake of it but about seeking specific business outcomes such as efficiencies or cost savings. For instance, AI can streamline contract lifecycle management processes, ultimately leading to better risk management and improved results for the company. Successful AI implementations are those that connect the technology to clear business goals via the right tools.
Data as the foundation
Data is a crucial element in the path to AI-powered solutions. The session emphasized that integrating data effectively can significantly enhance the success of an AI-driven technology implementation. One participant from a global logistics company shared that her company’s cross-functional legal and IT team, which works on selecting and implementing AI technologies, includes experts in data analytics.
That team identified the need to respond to EEOC charges as an opportunity for generative AI to be useful. A GenAI solution was helpful in preparing initial position statements because the company had access to relevant data from several sources, including their intake, matter and spend management, and document management platforms. This data could feed into the AI engine to draft statements because the foundation of available data was so robust.
Experimentation and learning
A key takeaway from the session was the importance of a “fail fast” approach. Experimentation is essential, and initial failures can provide valuable lessons. One participant’s first attempt at using AI in a chatbot for legal queries failed because their requirements-gathering effort had not properly captured the needs of all stakeholders.
This failure, however, informed their subsequent strategies, leading to more successful implementations later on. The three months spent on the chatbot project were not wasted because the team took valuable lessons from the experience that helped them improve their research and stakeholder interviews going forward. When considering AI solutions, it’s crucial to ensure they meet users where they are, addressing their needs in a way that is easy to adopt and use.
Future direction and next steps
Looking ahead, the participants shared that they have ambitious plans for scaling their AI solutions. One company is exploring AI applications in corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions, aiming to extend their successful implementations to additional legal areas and geographic regions. Another is focusing on using data to choose the right law firm for each of their matters, integrating data from several locations to make informed decisions.
The potential of AI in the legal operations field is immense, and many companies are well underway on their journey to use the technology to improve their performance and results. For more on how AI can help improve your legal operations, download our free eBook: How to leverage AI in your corporate legal department.
