13/07/2026
AI is making legal work look much easier than it really is.
That may become one of its greatest risks.
I recently spoke with someone who initially consulted me about an application. He later decided to prepare and issue it himself because AI had made the process appear relatively straightforward.
The application, which he expected would be dealt with on paper, was listed for a hearing because the judge was not satisfied with its basis or the supporting evidence.
He then returned for help.
By that stage, the work involved understanding what had gone wrong, amending the material and preparing for a hearing that might otherwise have been avoided. The attempt to save money ultimately created greater expense.
The problem was not simply that AI had produced something inaccurate. The output appeared plausible.
That is far more dangerous.
Legal work is not just about producing words that sound persuasive. It requires understanding why an argument applies, whether the evidence supports it, what the procedural consequences might be and where the argument could fail.
My concern is that the next generation of lawyers may become highly capable at generating legal content without developing the judgment required to assess it.
AI should accelerate legal work. It should not replace the thinking behind it.
The risk begins when we stop guiding the technology and start allowing ourselves to be guided by it.
-Nurul Haque
