Last week, Propylon’s Business Development Manager Breiffni O’Domhnaill attended the annual conference of the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) in Baltimore. It is one of the leading conferences for legal technology and this year’s focus centred on how cutting-edge technology and innovation is changing the role of law librarians.
Our friends @DavidLat @PropylonUS and ILC member Marlene at @atlblog #etlaall #AALL18 @WoltersKluwerLR pic.twitter.com/TS3hn6OxSj
— Victoria Baldos (@VictoriaBaldos) July 15, 2018
AI, law librarians and innovation in law firms
Advanced technology, including artificial intelligence and machine learning, is paving the way for innovation in legal research, redefining its role and setting new limits, especially in relation to law librarians.
The AALL conference raised the issue of how the unique value and irreplaceable expertise of law librarians can be best supported and gleaned in the digital age.
Vice President of Legal Markets and Innovation at Wolters Kluwer Legal & Regulatory U.S Dean Sonderegger provided a very useful model for creating innovative solutions in his session, “Today’s Law Firm Library: Navigating Traditional Research and New Technologies.”
AI and machine learning is already driving innovation in the legal world and has the potential to innovate in ways that was previously thought impossible.
Machines need training too
AI and machine learning is already driving innovation in the legal world and has the potential to innovate in ways that was previously thought impossible. But, in order for the machines to become smart enough to replace humans, they need to be trained.
Law librarians are perhaps the best positioned experts to do this given their in-depth knowledge of the business and the regulatory environment. In this way, law librarians could play a vital role in the creation – and success of – an effective and accurate legal AI model.
Law librarians: exploring algorithms to reduce bias
As AI becomes more integrated in the legal space, librarians will need to become more informed about how technologies work so that they can help reduce the risk of bias in results.
