Lawyers are Safe from the AI Invasion—For Now! A Brief Consideration of the Use of Artificially Generated Tools in Legal Research in SA and the US

A legal maxim holds that ‘it is not knowing all the law that counts but knowing where to find the law that makes a good lawyer a great lawyer,’ highlighting the importance of legal research. While technology and artificial intelligence (AI) have transformed research and drafting, they are prone to errors, including fabricated authorities. Courts, especially in the United States (US), have sanctioned misuse and South African courts have raised concerns, though no regulations yet exist. This paper examines AI use in legal research by undertaking a detailed analysis of the recent case law, in the US and South Africa, that has considered this topic. This paper will be divided into five parts: Part 1 serves as an introduction and overview of the topic; Part 2 briefly considers some of the AI tools currently available and their possible application in legal practice; Part 3 investigates how some AI tools have been used in the US; Part 4 considers the use of AI tools in the South African legal system; and Part 5 serves as a conclusion and provides some key recommendations in this area. It is hoped that this discussion will bring to light the need for AI regulation and, possibly, the prompt implementation of guidelines and rules to regulate its use not only in legal practice, but also in society. The article draws on both primary and secondary materials and employs a qualitative desktop research method. This article calls for, inter alia, concerted efforts by the legislature and other relevant stakeholders to comprehensively regulate the use of AI by legal practitioners when conducting legal research in order to retain the integrity of the South African legal profession.