Why Relying on AI for Legal Advice Can Be Risky

Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming part of everyday life. Many of us now use AI tools to answer questions, explain unfamiliar subjects or help us find information quickly.

So, if you have a legal question, it can be tempting to ask AI for the answer.

There is nothing wrong with using AI to get a general understanding of a legal topic. It can be a useful starting point. The problem comes when an AI-generated answer is relied upon instead of getting professional legal advice.

When the issue involves your home, family, business, finances or legal rights, getting the wrong answer could have serious consequences.

AI can sound convincing – and still be wrong

One of the biggest problems with AI is that an incorrect answer may sound completely convincing.

AI can misunderstand your question, miss an important exception or give you information that simply does not apply to your situation. And it may do so with complete confidence.

That is particularly risky with legal matters. Acting on incorrect information could mean signing something you shouldn’t, misunderstanding your rights, taking the wrong action or missing an important deadline.

The fact that an answer sounds professional does not necessarily mean it is correct.

Your circumstances matter

When it comes to the law, there is rarely a one-size-fits-all answer.

Two people can ask exactly the same legal question and receive different advice because their individual circumstances are different.

When you speak to a solicitor, they don’t simply answer your first question. They will want to understand what has happened, ask further questions and find out about the details that could affect your position.

That is important because you may not know which details actually matter.

If you don’t realise that something is legally important, you probably won’t think to tell an AI platform about it. The answer you receive could therefore be based on only part of the story.

The law changes

The law does not stand still. New legislation comes into force and decisions made by the courts can affect how the law is understood and applied.

There is also the question of which country’s law an AI answer is referring to.

Many AI tools are used around the world. You could ask what seems like a straightforward legal question and receive an answer based partly or entirely on the law of another country.

For someone in England and Wales, that could be misleading or simply wrong.

A solicitor can identify which law applies to you and advise you based on your particular circumstances.

AI answers the question you ask. A solicitor may spot the question you haven’t asked.

This is perhaps one of the most important differences.

Imagine you ask an AI tool a question about selling a property, dealing with an estate, resolving a family issue or signing a business agreement.

You may get a clear answer to that particular question, but what if there is another issue you haven’t thought about?

There could be a deadline you don’t know about. There may be tax implications, another person’s rights to consider or wording in a document that changes your position. Part of a solicitor’s job is to identify those issues.

AI can answer the question you ask. A solicitor may realise that you should be asking a different question altogether.

Be careful what you share with AI

It is also worth thinking about the information you enter into an AI platform.

Legal problems often involve private information about your family, finances, property, business or other people.

Before putting sensitive information or documents into an AI service, you should understand how that platform handles your information.

Solicitors, on the other hand, have strict professional duties regarding client confidentiality. In some circumstances, communications between you and your solicitor can also have special legal protection.

You should not assume that information you enter into a general AI tool has the same protection.

There is an important difference in accountability

Solicitors are regulated professionals.

They have professional responsibilities towards their clients and must meet required standards. Solicitors’ firms must also have appropriate insurance, and there are established procedures available if something goes wrong.

An AI platform does not have that professional relationship with you.

If you make an important decision because of an AI-generated answer and that answer turns out to be wrong, you may have very limited options for putting things right.

So, should you avoid using AI for legal questions?

Not necessarily.

AI can be a useful tool for learning about a subject, understanding some legal terminology or helping you work out what questions you might want to ask. The important thing is knowing its limitations.

There is a big difference between general legal information and legal advice about your particular situation.

A solicitor can listen to what has happened, ask questions, look at relevant documents, identify potential problems and explain the options available to you.

That human judgement is an important part of professional legal advice.

Use AI as a starting point – not the final word

AI is likely to become an increasingly useful part of our everyday lives, including the way we access information about the law, but convenience should not be confused with certainty.

If a legal matter is important enough that getting it wrong could affect your family, property, business, finances or legal rights, it is worth speaking to a qualified legal professional.

AI may be able to give you an answer in seconds but the real question is whether you can afford to rely on that answer.