Burden or Boon? Lawyers Debate Clients’ Use of AI

Director Dan Block spoke to Managing IP on the recent increase in clients using artificial intelligence (AI) and the effect it has on the attorney-client relationship.

Block noted that the usefulness of clients using AI depends on whether the tools are tailored for the legal industry. “If they are using non-legal AI tools, the results tend to be less relevant. Although that’s not to say they are not relevant.”

He shared an example of a client using Claude to review a patent application draft where some suggestions were irrelevant and others were useful. “That said, the cost-benefit of having outside counsel sift through a large volume of results to find those ‘diamonds in the rough’ is something to consider carefully.”

Block also noted that with greater access to AI, he anticipates clients will consider moving more work in-house. “That’s already happening, or at least I’m hearing that it is happening. And we’ll probably see more of that in the short term.”