AI Failure: Silence in the Room
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Last week, I was leading a lively training on how to deliver clear writing to clients. The lawyers were really engaged and, better yet, joking about the weird issues in their writing. But, then I apparently dropped a bombshell with the following question:
“How are you using AI tools to draft or edit your writing?”
I thought we were going to have another cool discussion. But, all I got was silence. (And, I thought “Oh shit”.)
What’s the problem?
To be honest, I haven’t fully figured out all of the different concerns of my students. But, when I talk to them, oftentimes outside of class, I get the following understanding.
Most of them are already using AI for their legal work, from conducting research to crafting communications. But, they don’t feel comfortable talking about it because of concerns related to identity, competence, and risk.
In other words, they have serious concerns to discuss their use of AI because:
They worry that it undermines their credibility.
They fear being judged for “cheating” or cutting corners.
They simply don’t know if they’re “doing it right”.
As a result, they say nothing. And, we all miss out on the opportunities to learn from each other on how to use AI more effectively.
What can L&D professionals do to address these problems?
If we want lawyers to use AI effectively, and ethically, we need to help shift the culture in firms by adjusting how we train lawyers. Here are three practical steps that might help:
1. Normalize the Conversation
Start the training by demonstrating how senior lawyers at your firm are using AI effectively in their written work.
2. Make it about judgment, not just tools
Help them think about AI as a skill, not a shortcut. For example: “Your job isn’t to use AI to write the email. Instead, you can deliver real value by editing it so that it sounds like a real human being, preferably you.”
3. Role Play the Client
Encourage them to compare a poorly edited AI draft to a quality, human-edited one. Then, ask them to discuss how clients would react to the two versions. Once they understand the problems from the client perspective, they will be much more interested in brainstorming how to use AI to deliver value to clients.
Final Thoughts
If you want your lawyers to get better at using AI responsibly and persuasively in their writing, we need to start by making them feel safe enough to admit they’re using it.
If you would like to talk with us about how to effectively integrate AI into your training, drop us an email.