Sink or Swim: A Cautionary Tale of AI-Powered Lawyering in Singapore

Singapore has taken a significant step towards embracing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal profession by integrating Microsoft's Copilot into its legal technology platform. The move allows lawyers to automate certain tasks, such as drafting status updates and tracking deadlines, using natural language interfaces with virtual legal project managers. However, despite the benefits, experts caution that human oversight is crucial to avoid potential catastrophes. The infamous 2023 case in New York, where lawyers used ChatGPT to generate a legal brief with fictional quotes and non-existent court cases, is a stark reminder of the importance of human responsibility in AI-assisted lawyering. Singapore's Minister for Culture, Community, and Youth, Edwin Tong, emphasized that lawyers must fact-check and scrutinize AI-generated materials, rather than relying solely on technology. Moreover, the integration of Copilot into the legal technology platform raises questions about the role of AI in legal decision-making. Will AI-generated insights and draft recommendations supersede human judgment, or will they simply augment the work of lawyers? As AI becomes more ubiquitous, it is essential to establish guidelines and training programs that prioritize ethical use and responsibility. The Singapore Academy of Law (SAL) has taken proactive steps in this regard, partnering with Microsoft Singapore to provide training and resources for legal professionals to use Gen AI ethically and effectively. The SAL-Microsoft guide on large language model (LLM) prompt engineering offers best practices and advice on common pitfalls when using Gen AI tools, as well as foundational courses to help lawyers gain a broader understanding of Gen AI and its associated ethical issues. But what if assumptions about AI's potential are wrong? What alternatives might experts have overlooked? As the legal landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial that lawyers and policymakers stay vigilant, recognizing that the most critical aspect of AI-assisted lawyering lies not in the technology itself, but in the humans who use it.