Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Your Lawyer?

By Keith Backer, Esq. / Published June 2023

There has been a lot of press lately about the open-source artificial intelligence (AI) tool known as ChatGPT. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by San Francisco-based startup OpenAI, which was co-founded in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, and others backed by well-known investors—most notably Microsoft. The media has been full of stories of college students submitting well-written essays created entirely by the service and claiming authorship to their unwitting professors. Other media have published warnings that AI services will be eliminating many well-paying jobs. There have even been articles warning lawyers that computers are coming for our jobs.

     As an exercise in both testing the service and evaluating its candor, I asked ChatGPT the following question: Why shouldn’t clients rely on ChatGPT to provide legal advice? Here is what it said (unedited).

     As an AI language model, ChatGPT is not qualified to provide legal advice to clients. While ChatGPT is capable of processing and generating large amounts of text and information, it lacks the necessary expertise and training in the field of law to offer reliable legal guidance.

     Legal advice requires a deep understanding of complex legal systems, laws, regulations, and precedents that vary across jurisdictions and evolve over time. Lawyers and legal professionals undergo extensive education, training, and experience to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to provide competent legal advice to clients.

     Relying on ChatGPT for legal advice may result in inaccurate or incomplete information, which could have serious consequences for clients. Legal decisions can have significant and lasting impacts on individuals, businesses, and society as a whole, and it is crucial to seek advice from qualified legal professionals.

     Therefore, clients should always seek the advice of a licensed attorney or legal expert when faced with legal issues or questions, and not rely on ChatGPT or any other AI language model for legal advice.

     Here are some additional reasons why clients should not rely on ChatGPT for legal advice:

     Limited Knowledge and Understanding: ChatGPT may not have access to all the necessary information required to provide a thorough legal analysis. It may also lack the ability to understand the nuances and complexities of certain legal issues.

     Lack of Personalization: ChatGPT is programmed to provide general information and cannot tailor its responses to the specific needs and circumstances of individual clients. Legal advice is most effective when it is tailored to the specific facts and circumstances of a client’s situation.

     No Attorney-Client Privilege: The relationship between an attorney and client is protected by attorney-client privilege, which ensures that any communication between them is confidential. ChatGPT does not offer this protection, and there is no guarantee that the information provided will remain confidential.

     No Legal Liability: ChatGPT is not legally liable for any advice or information provided to clients. Therefore, clients cannot hold it responsible for any negative consequences that may result from relying on its advice.

     Legal Consequences: Legal decisions can have far-reaching consequences, and clients may face serious legal repercussions if they rely on incorrect or incomplete legal advice. Therefore, it is essential to seek guidance from qualified legal professionals who can provide accurate and reliable advice.

     In summary, ChatGPT is not qualified to provide legal advice, and clients should seek the guidance of licensed attorneys or legal professionals for any legal issues they may have.

     [I could not have said it better myself.]

Keith F. Backer, Esq.

Partner, Poliakoff & Backer

     Keith F. Backer, Esq., is a partner of Poliakoff & Backer, a law firm serving community associations in Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami-Dade Counties. The Firm was founded by Mr. Backer, a Florida Bar board-certified specialist in condominium and planned development law with more than 35 years of legal experience in Florida. The law firm was created to provide community associations with the highest quality legal services with a degree of personal attention often difficult to obtain at larger firms. For more information on Poliakoff & Backer, call (800) 251-3562, email kbacker@bapflaw.com, or visit www.bapflaw.com.