Can AI replace lawyers? Experts insist it can't

Can AI replace lawyers? Experts insist it can't

The rapid integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into various sectors has raised concerns about its impact on the legal profession.

In India, the growing use of AI in legal processes has sparked a debate over whether automation can be safely incorporated into a system governed by one of the world's longest constitutions.

Legal experts have emphasized that while technology can greatly improve efficiency, the interpretative and ethical nature of law requires strict boundaries on where and how AI is applied.

AI's role in the legal sector

AI is mainly used to read, sort, and analyze large volumes of text.

It can quickly retrieve relevant cases, laws, and precedents from thousands of pages while highlighting key issues within minutes.

The technology also helps with drafting and summarizing by preparing initial drafts of contracts or briefs as well as condensing lengthy case files.

This reduces the time lawyers spend on repetitive tasks while allowing them to focus more on strategy and client needs.

Where AI can help and where human intervention is needed

AI excels at repetitive and pattern-based tasks like document review during discovery or due diligence, comparing contracts and checking clauses, searching case law, summarizing text, and drafting standard agreements.

These functions rely on speed, consistency, and scale rather than strategic or emotional judgment.

However, human involvement is still needed in areas like legal strategy, arguing complex cases, negotiation, assessing behavior credibility, making ethical decisions, and handling sensitive matters including family disputes, criminal defense, and mediation.

Why AI cannot replace humans in the legal profession

AI cannot understand emotions or show empathy. While it can recognize patterns in language, it cannot feel or relate to human experiences, understand trauma, interpret emotional cues in negotiations, or weigh moral considerations.

As a result, legal work involving sensitivity, ethics, and emotional intelligence will always require human intervention.

AI remains a powerful helper rather than a replacement for humans in the legal profession.