{"id":105451,"date":"2023-11-21T09:46:48","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T14:46:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=105451"},"modified":"2023-12-04T16:16:49","modified_gmt":"2023-12-04T21:16:49","slug":"ai-in-practice","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/articles\/2023\/ai-in-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"AI in Practice"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin record-block-editorial-leadin is-style-text-over-image has-media has-box has-media-focus-center-middle has-text-position-x-left has-text-position-y-bottom has-secondary-theme\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2500\" height=\"1500\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Illustrated AI robots sit with laptops and inspect documents with magnifying glasses\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock.jpg 2500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-636x382.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-768x461.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1536x922.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-2048x1229.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1200x720.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-992x595.jpg 992w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1500x900.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1920x1152.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-500x300.jpg 500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1000x600.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1984x1190.jpg 1984w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/AI-robots-discovery-istock-1628x977.jpg 1628w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Photo by Nigel Tadyanehondo via Unsplash<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-prepress-tag\">Innovation<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAI in Practice\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Rapid advancements in artificial intelligence promise to revolutionize the way we practice law. Two BU Law alums offer their perspectives.<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t\n<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar js-block-editorial-metabar record-prepress-layout-metabar\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">November 21, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/record\/authors\/ting-yu\/\">Ting Yu<\/a><\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph record-block-editorial-introparagraph is-style-large has-paragraph-color-secondary\"><div class=\"wp-block-editorial-introparagraph-content\"><p>Until fairly recently, the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence remained largely in the province of science fiction. Sure, there were stories of supercomputers vanquishing chess grand masters. And who hasn\u2019t been enticed by eerily on-point personalized social media ads? But AI technology that could fundamentally change the way we live and work? That seemed like a quandary for future generations.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Then came the splashy November 2022 debut of OpenAI\u2019s GPT-3 and the dizzyingly fast release of its more powerful successor GPT-4 the following March. The chatbot\u2019s dramatic rise has brought abstract anxieties of an AI-dominated world crashing into present reality. ChatGPT\u2019s simple interface and sophisticated generative capabilities are forcing the world to reckon with the seemingly limitless promise of AI\u2019s new cutting edge\u2014and the existential threat it may pose to humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, even as AI pioneers sound the alarm and governments around the world grapple with how to develop ethical guardrails, there\u2019s no denying that AI tools like Harvey, Westlaw, and now ChatGPT are already transforming the American legal sector. Astonishingly adept at analyzing and summarizing text, these large language models can execute, in a matter of seconds, work that would once have required thousands of billable hours. A Goldman Sachs report released earlier this year estimated that 44 percent of legal work could be automated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, what does that mean for the average law firm? The average attorney?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consider, for instance, your typical antitrust investigation. Let\u2019s say a client is looking to merge with another company, and they\u2019ve received an information request seeking reams of documents with a tight deadline from the Department of Justice or Federal Trade Commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIn the old days\u201d\u2014say, 20 years ago\u2014\u201cthe files would probably be in a warehouse somewhere. We\u2019d have associates in hazmat suits come through and pull all the dusty documents and moldy contracts,\u201d says John Koss (\u201905), who directs the E-Data Consulting Group for Mintz, a 500-lawyer firm with an international reach. Even 5 or 10 years ago, lawyers would have to sift through voluminous email inboxes and large data servers to find the necessary documents. \u201cIt would be an extensive project with hundreds of attorneys, and we would be going fast and furious,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image alignfarright\"><figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss.jpg\" alt=\"John Koss (\u201905) directs the E-Data Consulting Group for Mintz.\" class=\"wp-image-105486\" width=\"900\" height=\"1250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-458x636.jpg 458w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-737x1024.jpg 737w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-768x1067.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-1106x1536.jpg 1106w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-1475x2048.jpg 1475w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-595x826.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-491x682.jpg 491w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-743x1032.jpg 743w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-951x1321.jpg 951w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-248x344.jpg 248w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-381x529.jpg 381w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-495x688.jpg 495w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-762x1058.jpg 762w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-982x1364.jpg 982w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-1189x1652.jpg 1189w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-1486x2064.jpg 1486w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/john-koss-720x1000.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption>John Koss (\u201905) directs the E-Data Consulting Group for Mintz. | Photo by Ciara Crocker<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Today, text-based legal data\u2014cell phone records, Microsoft Teams or Slack messages, and emails\u2014can be pulled into an AI review application. After training the tool on relevant samples, it can retrieve a statistically validated set of responsive documents to satisfy the requests and production expectations of the government.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBefore, we would have had to review every single document from one to a million in a linear format,\u201d says Koss, who spent a decade practicing in healthcare and pharmaceutical product liability litigation before founding the Mintz group. \u201cNow, with AI technology, we review maybe 40 percent of the documents to meet a given recall percentage. What used to require a hundred attorneys we can accomplish with 10 to 20. The government\u2019s happy because they get the documents faster. Our clients are happy because they\u2019ve saved money. And the result is more accurate than if we had just completely relied on human beings.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Koss advises start-ups and Fortune 500 companies on how to use AI-enabled tech and analytics to solve data challenges and optimize workflows. He says his clients typically see a 95 percent reduction in data submitted for human document review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, is Koss worried about making lawyers obsolete? \u201cWe\u2019re not trying to take away <em>good<\/em> work from human beings,\u201d he says. \u201cThe reality is doc review can be a drag. Frankly, our associates get a better experience because now they\u2019re spending their time digging into key documents, or learning the case, or engaging in deposition prep. My hope is that we\u2019re helping people do things that are more valuable to their career development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote record-block-bu-pullquote alignwide is-style-modern has-image-focus-center-middle has-primary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">The government\u2019s happy because they get the documents faster. Our clients are happy because they\u2019ve saved money. And the result is more accurate than if we had just completely relied on human beings.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\">John Koss (&#8217;05)<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The promise of using AI tools to cut costs and boost productivity is immense. Many law firms are already using them for contract review, e-discovery, legal research, drafting basic standard agreements, and predictive analytics\u2014that is, predicting the outcomes of legal cases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s not to say there aren\u2019t serious concerns. The unregulated use of AI technology in a highly regulated industry like the law can present ethical conundrums and legal liability. Koss points to ChatGPT\u2019s unsettling tendency to \u201challucinate\u201d or fabricate responses to user queries. \u201cChatGPT will give you absolutely incorrect answers in a very authoritative way,\u201d he says, \u201cIt\u2019s unreliable, so right now that limits what lawyers can use it for.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The other major barrier is privacy. Certain types of AI analytics simply can\u2019t be used when dealing with sensitive information, Koss says. Dropping financial accounts, medical records, or Social Security numbers into the \u201cblack box\u201d of an AI tool could be a violation of privacy laws or client privilege.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe have to be sure the applications we use are secure and have appropriate data management protocols,\u201d Koss explains. \u201cIf you\u2019re putting patient, client, or deal information into an AI tool or large language model, the company that designed the program may use that data to train their models and algorithms. We have to be very careful not to introduce the potential for this data to be shared, stored, and kept by non-permissible parties or locations. That\u2019s exactly what privacy legislation and confidentiality provisions are designed to forbid.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ashley Jackson (\u201911) carved out her niche in privacy law early on. Jackson was just a few years out of law school, working as a litigation associate, when she was recruited to join Sedgwick LLP with the opportunity to assist with its new data privacy practice in Chicago. Around the same time, the European Union was preparing to vote on the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), which govern the collection and use of personal data by companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image alignfarleft\"><figure class=\"alignleft size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" src=\"\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson.jpg\" alt=\"Ashley Jackson (\u201911) led privacy efforts at Olive AI, a healthcare automation company, until June 2023. She now leads international privacy at the Mayo Clinic.\" class=\"wp-image-105484\" width=\"900\" height=\"1250\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson.jpg 1800w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-458x636.jpg 458w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-737x1024.jpg 737w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-768x1067.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-1106x1536.jpg 1106w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-1475x2048.jpg 1475w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-595x826.jpg 595w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-491x682.jpg 491w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-743x1032.jpg 743w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-951x1321.jpg 951w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-248x344.jpg 248w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-381x529.jpg 381w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-495x688.jpg 495w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-762x1058.jpg 762w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-982x1364.jpg 982w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-1189x1652.jpg 1189w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-1486x2064.jpg 1486w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/files\/2023\/11\/ashley-jackson-720x1000.jpg 720w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><figcaption>Ashley Jackson (\u201911) led privacy efforts at Olive AI, a healthcare automation company, until June 2023. She now leads international privacy at the Mayo Clinic. | Photo by Natasha Moustache<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;\u201cPrivacy at that point took off,\u201d Jackson recalls. \u201cEven though I had only been working in privacy for two years, I already had more experience than some very senior partners at law firms who were just coming into the space. I saw an opportunity to become an expert and decided to transition to a privacy focus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After five years of practicing law in privacy and data security, Jackson took a role as in-house counsel to GE Healthcare, where she gained global insight into how other countries were managing privacy issues. Until June 2023, she led privacy efforts at Olive AI, a healthcare automation company that optimizes revenue cycles and HIPAA compliance through AI products and machine learning. She recently left Olive AI to take on a new role leading international privacy at the Mayo Clinic.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cHealthcare is a great place for demonstrating what ethical AI can look like,\u201d Jackson says, \u201cwhether it\u2019s helping to streamline the claims process to reduce administrative costs or helping doctors diagnose a disease quicker. Soon, I think we will very literally see this technology saving people\u2019s lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;Although law firms can be slow to change, Jackson predicts the ones that thrive will be those that stay ahead of the tech curve. \u201cAI is going to challenge attorneys to demonstrate we\u2019re a value add,\u201d Jackson says. \u201cYou need to know the tech. You\u2019re going to have to get in the weeds. Because if you can\u2019t explain what\u2019s going on, it\u2019s going to be really tough to anticipate regulatory issues and advise on them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote record-block-bu-pullquote alignwide is-style-modern has-image-focus-center-middle has-primary-theme\"><div class=\"wp-block-bu-pullquote-inner\"><blockquote><div class=\"container-lockup\"><div class=\"container-icon-outer\"><div class=\"container-icon-inner\"><\/div><\/div><div class=\"container-text\"><hr\/><div class=\"quote-sizing\">You need to know the tech. You\u2019re going to have to get in the weeds. Because if you can\u2019t explain what\u2019s going on, it\u2019s going to be really tough to anticipate regulatory issues and advise on them.<\/div><footer class=\"caption\">Ashley Jackson (&#8217;11)<\/footer><hr\/><\/div><\/div><\/blockquote><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s in part because US regulations haven\u2019t kept pace with technological advances. \u201cIt\u2019s hard when things are happening at the speed of light,\u201d Koss says. In the absence of established rules on AI use, industry groups and companies are issuing their own guidance for employees. \u201cThese conversations need to be happening globally,\u201d he says. \u201cCompanies want to operate in a way that doesn\u2019t violate privacy laws here or in other countries. We need a common set of guidelines for these tools. For now, we\u2019re piecing it together as we go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jackson points to the EU\u2019s GDPR as a potential model for the US to follow. \u201cIt\u2019s a risk-based approach to the evaluation and regulation of AI,\u201d she says. \u201cGDPR basically asks companies: Before you use a data set, know the potential risks and benefits and mitigate for those risks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She also admires the agility and responsiveness of Singapore\u2019s approach. \u201cThey\u2019re trying different things out and seem very receptive to feedback,\u201d Jackson says. \u201cThey have technical <em>and<\/em> industry knowledge at the table because you can\u2019t have politicians and academics coming up with rules that are impractical. We don\u2019t need something reactionary\u2014we need something visionary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Still, like Koss, Jackson is bullish on a future powered by new technologies. She shares a story from her time at GE Healthcare, when the company designed the first ultrasound system with 3D printing capability. Thanks to the new machine, a pregnant mother who was blind could not only listen to her baby\u2019s heartbeat, but she was also able to experience through touch the 3D-printed representation of her baby\u2019s ultrasound image.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cI recognize the dangers. And like anything else, AI can be abused,\u201d Jackson says. \u201cBut that should never stop us from unlocking all of these beautiful possibilities.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Until fairly recently, the disruptive potential of artificial intelligence remained largely in the province of science fiction. But AI technology that could fundamentally change the way we live and work? That seemed like a quandary for future generations.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11260,"featured_media":105487,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"Innovation","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"tags":[1667],"bu-publication":[3742],"record-article-category":[3744,3765,3776,3774,4135,3786,3775],"record-topic":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/105451"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11260"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105451"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/105451\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105831,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/105451\/revisions\/105831"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105487"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105451"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=105451"},{"taxonomy":"record-article-category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-article-category?post=105451"},{"taxonomy":"record-topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/record-topic?post=105451"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=105451"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/law\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=105451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}