AI will have negative impact on legal profession, warns Deputy Justice Minister
Andries Nel was giving a political overview to the Justice and Constitutional Development portfolio committee regarding the challenges facing the justice system.
CAPE TOWN - Deputy Justice Minister Andries Nel has warned that the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) will have a negative impact on the legal profession.
He said AI could lead to greater access to justice, but could cause unemployment in the sector as more AI legal systems are introduced.
On Tuesday, Nel was giving a political overview to the Justice and Constitutional Development portfolio committee regarding the challenges facing the justice system.
Nel said the portfolio committee should, going forward, reflect and focus on the impact of the development of AI on the legal profession.
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He said examples from the United States show how certain AI products are able to score higher in bar exams than the smartest law students, making it a real threat.
"Now we need to ask ourselves then, what does that hold for the future of the legal profession? It has very clear and rich potential to enhance access to justice but it can also lead to massive unemployment."
Nel said if technology is not correctly handled, it can actually exacerbate the existing conditions like inequality in a country like South Africa.