If you've so much as glanced at LinkedIn or LegalTech News lately, you've probably heard that the AI Renaissance is upon us. And this bad boy shows no signs of slowing down. You cannot turn on YouTube, Spotify, or CSPAN without hearing tales of generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, DALL-E 2, and Lensa. AI is turning the world on its head while legal scrambles to catch up. Heck, South Park even let ChatGPT write an entire episode. How's that for AI going mainstream?
The boogeyman of Robolawyers is no longer just a twinkle in some futurist's eye. Many of us in legal are torn between going all-in-on-Ai ourselves or running for the hills!
Does this mean we should all break out cardboard singes saying, "will litigate for food" and hope our robot overlords are benevolent? Not hardly! There are a whole host of ways lawyers of all levels of technological sophistication can leverage battle-tested flavors of AI starting today!
Battle-tested Artificial Intelligence in eDiscovery
When people talk about AI in eDiscovery and legal today, there is a tendency to treat it like a new kid on the block. As if it is novel and somehow untested. But that could not be farther from the truth. AI advancements in automation, machine learning that helps uncover evidence faster. AI-powered data visualization has been baked into AI-powered Electronic Discovery Software for well over a decade and a half. AI is far from the new kid on the legal tech block!
Established AI technology is baked into leading document review software like Reveal in a variety of ways. Leveraged on countless matters to date. Most legal departments or case teams leverage AI today. Even if the legal professionals may not refer to the legal technology as Artificial intelligence.
Types of Artificial Intelligence You Can Leverage Today
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is hotter than the Kardashians, Beyonce, and the Beatles combined these days. But, for the last decade, eDiscovery software like Reveal has baked in a variety of AI and Machine learning technologies to supercharge finding evidence. Legal teams looking to level up their electronic discovery workflow by leveraging AI have a few avenues they can pursue today.
Types of established AI tools in eDiscovery include:
Connect the Dots: Pattern Recognition and Data Analysis
One of the things that our robot overlords can execute at a superhuman level is connecting the dots in data no matter how messy, massive, or disparate the dataset.
Document Classification and Predictive Coding (TAR): Technology-Assisted Review (TAR) acts like eDiscovery’s version of a crystal ball. Using the magic of machine learning, this tool sifts through mountains of documents faster than you can say "relevance" and then learns from human reactions to the suggestions. It’s like having an army of robotic interns who never sleep, constantly sorting and prioritizing documents based on what they've learned from your expert legal brain.
Data Clustering: Imagine data clustering as a skilled DJ at a bustling legal tech dance party. Each document is a unique dance track, and this AI DJ has the knack for mixing tunes (documents) with similar beats (topics) together. As the night goes on, what seemed like an eclectic mix of music now transforms into cohesive playlists, each representing a different case or theme. This way, when you step onto the dance floor (your review process), you're greeted with perfectly curated sets, making navigating through the beats of data as smooth as gliding through your favorite dance routine.
Anomaly Detection: This AI tool is like the ultimate game of eDiscovery 'Where's Waldo?'. This algorithm is adept at spotting the Waldo-esque outliers in a sea of uniformity. It’s like having a digital detective with a magnifying glass, meticulously combing through sea of data sources to uncover those pesky data points that dare to deviate from the norm. Whether it's a whisper of fraud or just a data point straying from the pack, this AI sleuth is on it, ensuring that no anomaly, no matter how subtle, can play hide and seek in your critical case data.
Relationship Analysis: This AI tool is the ultimate social butterfly of the data world. Relationship analysis flutters through your data, connecting the dots between people, places, and events. It’s like creating a who's who communication map of your legal universe, making sure you know who’s connected to whom, and how. It's the gossip columnist you never knew you needed!
Talking the Talk: Natural Language Processing (NLP)
One of the biggest leaps forward for legal has been Natural Language Processing (NLP). These algorithms understand human language - beyond just words and phrases. NLP is like having a digital language ninja that slices through complex legal jargon, effortlessly extracts the juicy bits of info, and serves them up on a silver platter of insights. Think of it as your AI ally in the courtroom of data, interpreting every whisper and nuance in the vast world of legal documents.
Text Analytics: Imagine text analytics as the ultimate word wizard in the realm of legal tech. This AI tools is like a super-smart bookworm that can speed-read through all your documents and then whisper in your ear, "Hey, here are the trends, here are the patterns, and oh, have you noticed this recurring theme?" It's not just reading; it's reading with a magnifying glass and a detective hat, but way cooler.
Entity Recognition: Entity recognition is like having your own Barbara Walters, uncovering the who, what, where, and more in a data set. As you wander through the dense jungle of legal text, this nifty tool lights up names, dates, locations, and other key entities like little fireflies in the night.
Sentiment Analysis: This AI tool has all the feels! It reads between the lines, catches the subtle tone of an email, or the hidden frustration in a statement. This tool doesn't just understand words; it gets feelings. Is the writer happy, sad, angry, or just plain sarcastic? Sentiment analysis lays it all out, giving you the emotional map of your communication landscape.
Language Translation and Multilingual Support: Bonjour, Hola, Hello! This NLP powered feature is your polyglot friend in the eDiscovery process. It breaks down language barriers, ensuring that no document is left behind just because it speaks a different language. With this tool, you’re not just a legal expert; you're a linguistic wizard too.
Audio-Visual Alchemists: Multimedia Content Analysis
Here, images and sounds aren't just processed; they're transmuted into valuable insights, making sense of the vast and varied digital landscape. Turning the chaos of pixels and sound waves into clear, actionable insights.
Image and Video Analysis: AI tools here can hear, see, and interpret like a human. It's not just scanning images and videos for eDiscovery professionals; it's like having a super-smart buddy who points out who's who and what's what in the visual sea. Think facial recognition, content categorization - it's like playing a high-stakes game of 'I Spy' with a tech twist.
Voice Recognition and Audio Analysis: This is your ears' best friend in the digital soundscape. It's like having a personal translator who not only hears but understands the nuances of human speech. Whether it's transcribing the fastest talker in the west or picking out key phrases from a cacophony, this tool ensures you won't miss a beat (or a word!).
AI your Way
The world of AI isn't one-size-fits-all; it should be like a bespoke boutique. Seamlessly helping you craft custom AI models and offering a rich library tailored to the unique contours of each legal case. Here, the power of personalization meets the brilliance of AI, creating a symphony of specialized tools that resonate with the specific rhythms of your legal needs.
Custom AI Models: Tailor-made intelligence is available today with Reveal's custom AI models. Imagine a digital artisan, handcrafting AI solutions that align perfectly with the unique fabric of your case. From nuanced data analysis to specific pattern recognition, these models are like having a bespoke suit in the world of legal tech - designed to fit every curve and contour of your legal strategy.
AI Model Library: AI Model building is Netflix easy now. Step into Reveal's AI Model Library, where you're not just browsing through shelves of generic tools, but exploring a curated collection of specialized AI models. Each model in this library is like a finely bound tome, filled with knowledge and expertise in various legal scenarios. Whether you need a model steeped in contract analysis or one versed in intellectual property disputes, this library has a specialized AI model that speaks your case's language.
Ways to Integrate AI in Your eDiscovery Process
Just as there is not a single AI model or tool at your disposal for eDiscovery today, there is not a single right way to deploy this trove to tools in your eDiscovery workflow. Along just about every step of the EDRM Ai can supercharge your insights!
Initial Case Assessment: Before the race even starts, you can leverage Ai to build your case strategy, understand your exposure, and lift the hood on your data before a single doc reviewer click responsive! Predictive Analytics can give you a sneak peek at potential case outcomes and trends. It's like reading the legal stars before diving deep into the data galaxy.
Early Case Assessment (ECA): As you start the eDiscovery race, Ai can help you avoid collecting everything including the kitchen sink. Text Analytics and Entity Recognition help you play detective. before a single doc reviewer click responsive. They sift through mountains of data, finding the golden nuggets of info and tagging 'em for easy reference. It's like having a Sherlock Holmes, but for legal data.
Document Review & Analysis: The main show of the Document Review is a playground for Document Classification and Predictive Coding to supercharge your insights. They get their hands dirty (digitally, of course), sorting the relevant from the not-so-relevant. It's the heart of the eDiscovery process, and AI here is like the master chef cooking up a sorted, organized feast of documents.
Sentiment Analysis jumps into the fray to gauge the mood and tone of communications. Plus, Relationship Analysis maps out who’s who and who’s connected to whom. It's like hosting a masquerade ball and having AI unmask the hidden relationships and emotions in your data.
Finally, the AI Model Library, TAR, and bespoke models can help you further laser focus on what is pushed on for human review. learning from the human inputs along the way to find more evidence faster.
Production and Presentation: When it's showtime, Data Visualization and Reporting turns your findings into visual masterpieces. Think of it as turning your data into a gallery-worthy exhibit, making complex info easy on the eyes for judges and juries.
In the world of eDiscovery, AI isn't just a tool; it's your sidekick, your backstage crew, and sometimes, your main star. With AI's help, you're not just going through the motions; you're orchestrating a high-tech legal symphony.
Looking Forward
AI in eDiscovery gives the legal industry a superpower, transforming the way we handle the mountains of data, the complexity of analysis, and the intricacies of legal strategy. And these supercharging tools are beyond just the new AI tools in the news like ChatGPT.
From the predictive prowess of Analytics to the sharp insights of Text and Entity Recognition, the AI toolkit available today is not just impressive; its game changing. Whether it’s sifting through digital mountains to find that legal needle in the haystack, or crafting a bespoke AI model that fits your case like a glove, these tools are reshaping the landscape of legal work.
AI in eDiscovery is a dance of precision and efficiency. It’s about turning the chaos of data into the harmony of insights, where each tool plays its part in the symphony of legal strategy. The Custom AI Models and Libraries are your personal tailors, crafting solutions that fit your unique needs. The Digital Decoders and Audio-Visual Alchemists turn the intangible into the tangible, making sense of the vast digital universe.
In essence, use of AI in eDiscovery is not just a technological advancement; it’s a strategic partner, a digital ally in your quest for justice and truth. As we continue to forge ahead in this digital era, one thing is certain: the role of AI in legal tech is not just important; it's indispensable. It's not just about keeping up with the times; it's about leading the charge, transforming the way we think, work, and achieve success in the legal realm.