LZAP warns: robots may start lying even better than lawyers

The Latvian Bar Association has finally noticed that artificial intelligence has begun threatening lawyers' monopoly on expensive consultations. The issued guidelines sternly warn that AI tools may provide inaccurate or even false information. Though that's nothing new — lawyers have been doing this for years, only now it costs less.

So-called AI hallucinations are particularly emphasized, when non-existent references are created. As a local lawyer comments: "Well, finally something that can invent arguments as creative as ours! But we're still better — we can also hallucinate about bills."

The guidelines require lawyers to be competent in AI use and train their staff. This means lawyer assistants will now have to learn both coffee brewing and robot training. Clients must also be informed about AI use — probably so they can add an extra charge for "innovative technologies."

Most concerning is that sensitive information may reach third parties. But as anyone who has lived by Lake Liepāja knows, silence is a relative concept — even quiet waters can turn into wild storms if used incorrectly. Therefore lawyers now must try to be even more careful than fishermen on a foggy morning.