Addressing an audience primarily composed of law students, panelists at a NYU Law Forum, sponsored by Latham & Watkins, explored how artificial intelligence (AI) is likely to affect the work and careers of young lawyers at law firms in the next few years.

Christopher Jon Sprigman, Murray and Kathleen Bring Professor of Law, moderated the January 31 panel, titled “AI in Law Practice: What You Need to Know.” The other participants were Latham partner Ghaith Mahmood ’07, global vice chair of the firm’s data technology and transactions practice; Anna Gressel, counsel at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, whose practice focuses on AI and other technologies; and Betny Townsend, product marketing director at legal technology company DISCO.

The panelists noted that AI is already introducing new efficiencies in areas such as litigation discovery, compliance, and knowledge management, with the potential to free lawyers to spend their time on areas where judgment and experience can add the most value. But, they agreed, AI also brings significant risks, from the so-called hallucinations that can deliver inaccurate results to potential breaches of client confidentiality when documents are used to