Today’s “basic” AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude are like having an army of interns in your pocket for $20 a month. Or for free, if you don’t mind a few limitations. So it’s a huge headscratcher for me to consistently hear how few lawyers are using those particular tools. I’ll come back to the reasons I hear in another post. For now, let’s talk about those interns.
They’re not perfect, but neither was that summer associate who kept citing overturned cases. The difference? These AI interns are always available and infinitely patient no matter how many times you ask for re-writes, change direction or move on without using their work in any way.
Need a rough draft of a client email at 2 AM? Your AI intern is on it. Want to brainstorm arguments for a tricky motion? Your digital squad’s got your back. Need a quick summary of a 100-page doc? Your silicon helpers are already highlighting the key points. Supply background info that helps you understand that unfamiliar industry or fact relevant to your matter? They’re quick with a reply and some can even supply the supporting web link!
Are these AI interns going to write Pulitzer-worthy briefs or uncover that one obscure case that wins your argument? No. (And truthfully, if you think they have, double and triple check their work against other sources before incorporating their output in your own work). But they’ll give you a starting point. They’ll get the ball rolling when you’re staring at a blank screen. They’ll do the review, summary, consolidation and brainstorming work you could never justify having the real associate or intern do on the client’s dime. And they’ll do it in minutes. Maybe seconds.
Let them take the first crack at tasks. Then you come in with your expertise to refine, correct, and elevate the work. Don’t underestimate how much time and energy these digital interns can save you. And don’t underestimate how much better you can understand your own files when you put them to work.
Stop waiting. Recruit that intern army and soon you, like me, will scratch your head wondering why “those other” lawyers haven’t started doing the same.
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Addendum:
BTW – a word of caution. These interns don’t hold grudges, but they don’t hold much in memory either. These retail language models won’t learn your preferences, corrections or instructions from task to task, and that may be quite frustrating for you when seeing the sixth iteration of an error you’d hoped they’d stop making.
Bear in mind that each session is like dealing with a new intern, and although they can improve their output within a session based on your feedback, the “lessons learned” are yours and not theirs. It falls to you to carry through what you’ve learned about communicating with them over to the next session or task if you want to see improvements. Luckily, this is a skill you will develop quickly.
While you’re here, poke around this blog and site, and you’ll see why I talk about these things, what I think, what I do to help. You might also be curious about LawQi.