The Impact of the Evolution of Artificial Intelligence Tools on the Field of Law

Abstract

Problem setting. We happen to be living in an age when technology is advancing at a breakneck pace and, on the one hand, is improving the quality of life, but on the other hand, this development poses a number of challenges for society and the law, where artificial intelligence systems influence legal processes and governance, whilst legal norms shape the development, deployment and accountability of artificial intelligence technologies. Today, there are growing calls for more robust governance and regulation of artificial intelligence to minimise the potential negative consequences of these technologies’ development across all spheres of society’s life and activity. At the same time, the regulation of this technology must strike a balance between the need to protect society from the potential risks posed by artificial intelligence systems and the aim of fostering innovation. The practical application of artificial intelligence tools and their ongoing proliferation across various sectors, including the legal sector, is currently outpacing their regulation. Today, in light of the rapid development of artificial intelligence tools, the legal community must not merely keep abreast of these developments, but, by combining the knowledge of researchers from various disciplines – in particular philosophy, computer science and law – work alongside engineers to develop responsible artificial intelligence. This has implications for the future of law and society. Analysis of recent researches and publications. The issue of using modern artificial intelligence tools in the field of law is interdisciplinary in nature and requires the development of a comprehensive, systematic approach. Legal scholars’ attention is mainly focused on individual aspects of the impact of new digital technologies on the law, and their analysis of these aspects remains fragmented. Research is being conducted into the key ethical and legal challenges associated with the introduction of artificial intelligence systems in the context of the rapid digitalisation of society, the theoretical and legal foundations for the use of artificial intelligence as a tool for legal reform, issues concerning the legal regulation of artificial intelligence (O. Martsenyuk, R. Maidanik et al.), issues concerning the regulation of electronic law-making (I. V. Aristova, O. A. Baranov, O. O. Dovgan, Y. V. Kryvitsky, V. G. Olyukha et al.), theoretical and practical aspects of the use of artificial intelligence in law enforcement and the administration of justice (I. V. Lysenko, V. Krat et al.), and issues concerning the integration of artificial intelligence into legal practice (M. I. Hrab et al.). However, despite the significant number of academic works devoted to various aspects of the implementation of artificial intelligence, a comprehensive study of the impact of modern artificial intelligence tools on the law, through the evaluation of actual artificial intelligence systems for the legal sphere, requires further academic research. The purpose of the research is to determine the impact of modern artificial intelligence tools on the legal sector by evaluating existing artificial intelligence systems designed for the legal field. Article’s main body. The implementation of artificial intelligence systems in the legal sector to manage large volumes of data, automate the search for regulatory documents and relevant case law on a given issue, conducting initial risk analysis in contracts, generating standard procedural documents – in particular court claims, applications, petitions and complaints – and solving specific tasks for training and consultancy purposes that assist with day-to-day legal work, is continuing to grow rapidly. Some of these systems can help lawyers automate tedious and repetitive tasks, whilst others aim to make legal systems and courts more accessible to non-specialists. In fact, the greatest potential for automation lies in those areas of law where the main work boils down to logical analysis and text processing. The global market offers a range of specialised solutions for lawyers based on artificial intelligence systems, the most common of which are: Harvey AI, CoCounsel (Thomson Reuters), Lexis+ AI, Luminance, Kira Systems, Lex Machina. In the Ukrainian legal technology sector, the most widely used platforms are Liga360, AcademyCGPT’s personal AI lawyer, Lawria and Yustai. The article argues that recent advances in artificial intelligence offer many benefits to the legal sector, as AI tools significantly automate the analysis and classification of legal documents, allowing lawyers to focus on higher-value tasks. Examples are given of the world’s and Ukraine’s best-known AI-based solutions for lawyers. It is emphasised that the greatest potential for automation lies in those areas of law where the main work involves logical analysis and text processing. It is noted that, depending on the algorithm, legal artificial intelligence systems can provide both more accurate, relevant and context-dependent answers – which in turn fosters trust in AI-supported legal workflows, increases efficiency and reduces misinformation – as well as more problematic answers. It is emphasised that there are three main search engine algorithms: traditional, semantic and hybrid. Key risks and challenges for lawyers are highlighted, relating to the protection of human rights and privacy, bias and discrimination, AI hallucinations, algorithmic errors in the justice system, and issues of intellectual property and copyright. It is noted that the use of artificial intelligence-based tools in the legal field is not only faster, but also smarter and safer. Conclusions and prospects for development. The benefits of lawyers using such tools lie, firstly, in increased efficiency, as they help lawyers quickly locate accurate and relevant documents, reducing the time spent on manual searches and speeding up decision-making. Secondly, they improve accuracy even within large, complex datasets thanks to the integration of semantic search and keyword search. Thirdly, they ensure scalability through their ability to process large volumes of documents in real time with minimal delay. Fourthly, it offers cost-effectiveness by reducing the need for costly manual labour. Artificial intelligence tools help lawyers not only to find the information they need (such as searching for case law, tracking changes to legislation or managing contracts), but also to draw deeper insights that can lead to better decisions and outcomes, whilst ensuring scalability, accuracy and the intelligence required to navigate the complex world of legal data. However, alongside the benefits of using such systems, there are a number of serious challenges for the legal system and society, relating to the protection of human rights and privacy, bias and discrimination, AI hallucinations, algorithmic errors in the administration of justice, and issues of intellectual property and copyright.