Join host Damien and Horace in their deep dive into the current state and future of AI in the legal sector.

They tackle three major topics: (1) the hype cycle of AI in tech, (2) the using autonomous agentsin legal practices, and (3) the feasibility of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).

Whether you're a legal professional, tech enthusiast, or just curious about the intersection of AI and law, this episode is a good pulse check on the zeitgeist.

00:00 The Elephants in the Room

01:34 Understanding the Gartner Hype Cycle

01:46 Debating the Hype: Individual vs Organizational Perspectives

04:23 Visualizing the Hype Cycle

05:11 Legal Tech and the Hype Cycle

13:01 Transition to AI Agents

21:45 Legal Research Tasks and AI Workflows

22:13 Human Involvement in AI Legal Workflows

23:14 Trusting AI in Legal Contexts

23:35 AI Verification and Confidence Scores

24:42 Challenges in AI Verification

29:33 Ethical Considerations in AI Usage

33:56 Defining Artificial General Intelligence (AGI)

36:18 AI's Current Capabilities and Future Potential

41:50 Practical Applications and Limitations of AI

43:48 Encouragement to Experiment with AI

In this episode of Further Comments, Horace and Damien is joined by Nick Abrahams from Norton Rose Fulbright. Nick shares his unconventional career journey, from working in a big law firm in Sydney, studying at USC Film School, to becoming a Hollywood studio executive and then a technology lawyer in Australia. The discussion explores what it takes to be a successful lawyer, the unique perspective gained from varied career paths, and the significance of purpose. They also delve into the evolving role of lawyers in the age of AI, the importance of human expertise, and the future of legal tech.

Don't miss Nick's insights on navigating the intersection of law and technology and the optimistic future for the legal profession.

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:30 Nick Abrahams' Career Journey
00:57 The Hollywood Experience
02:36 Return to Law and Teaching
04:52 The Two Speeds of the Legal Profession
08:03 Purpose and Passion in Careers
12:22 AI and the Future of Law
16:56 The Role of Lawyers in the Age of AI
20:19 The Role of Risk in Business
21:06 AI Solutions in Legal Practice
21:54 Client Control and Law Firm Adaptation
22:23 Quantifying Risk in Legal Work
23:23 Accenture's Approach to Risk Management
24:52 AI in Contract Review
26:13 Balancing Accuracy and Efficiency
35:25 The Future of Legal Training with AI
38:10 Client Relationships and Legal Tech Integration
42:10 Optimism for the Future of Law

Join Damien Riehl and Horace as they kick off Season 2 with an in-depth discussion about the intersection of Big Tech and Big Law.

They explore the recent news of Freshfields partnering with Google for generative AI, the potential of AI to disrupt legal services, and the impacts of large language models on the industry. They also delve into the future of law firms, the evolving role of legal tech companies, and the broader societal implications of AI-driven legal services.

00:00 Big Tech and Big Law
00:46 AI's Impact on Legal Industry
01:21 The AI Tsunami
02:52 Future of Legal Bots
03:18 Challenges of Data Collection
03:57 Human Element in AI
07:29 AI Reasoning and Interpretability
13:53 Big Players in Legal Tech
19:32 Specialized Legal Models
22:08 Adobe's Move into Legal Tech
23:46 The Unauthorized Practice of Law and Big Tech
24:49 Legal Tech Companies and the UPL Debate
27:06 Legal Information vs. Legal Advice
28:57 The Future of Legal Services and AI
35:27 Strategies for Law Firms, Incumbents, and Startups