AI: What’s Real, What’s Next for Law Firms in Texas?

With all the buzz around artificial intelligence right now, it can be difficult to discern the reality of how it is actually being used and what comes next for law firms to embrace this emerging technology.

Bracewell’s Constance Rhebergen told The Texas Lawbook that it is important for law firms to understand the distinction between using public or open AI programs such as ChatGPT — which raises client confidentiality issues — and the use of private or closed-system AI.

Rhebergen said Bracewell was an “early adopter” of using private, closed AI systems.

“We are embracing AI internally for use in our legal services, provided it meets the … important confidentiality restrictions that we as lawyers have,” she said.

The technology presents firms with two basic options, she said: ignore it or educate.

“Like every tool, we feel education is the key,” she said. “So, we educate and continue to educate our lawyers about the use of any generative AI tool, which is basically that our ethics require we not provide any confidential information at all.”