Briefing quotes Aileen Johnson on how AI could change the Knowledge function

In a feature article, Briefing explores the topic of generative AI, and how it is changing - or set to change - law firms’ internal processes for the better,

The piece gives a view of how generative AI is changing various workstreams and departments in law, from tracking client knowledge preferences and risk scenario-planning, to building marketing momentum and transformation in professional development practices. 

Aileen Johnson, Director of Knowledge, was interviewed for the piece and is quoted specifically on how generative AI is affecting the Knowledge function at our Firm.

She begins by explaining that the internal generative AI tool at our Firm, Sidekick, is used by three-quarters of people across the business, and over half are regular users. 

She goes on to explain that one 'generative AI gap' is the ability to interrogate the Firm’s knowledge collection:

We can’t use Sidekick to search our knowledge because it’s a standalone tool, so we would have to download documents from our DMS and upload them to Sidekick. We are working on new knowledge solutions, incorporating genAI, which we hope to roll out in the next few months.

"The most common use cases are “anything to do with large amounts of text and data, [including] translation, changing the tone, summarising, creating first drafts, reviewing final drafts, and conducting research using publicly available information”. [Using Sidekick,] I can upload a long report I have to read, and immediately find key dates — for example, that I have to produce my input within four weeks — or change the tone of an email, usually to make it more formal.

“One of our trainees, working with a knowledge development lawyer (KDL), developed an automated lease-reporting tool which generates information specifically related to our high-net-worth transactions. While developing a four-page prompt involved a considerable amount of time, it relates to quite laborious and repetitive work.

Aileen goes onto explain that our Firm is "about to launch our AI accelerator programme which will upskill everyone in the firm – not just lawyers.”

She closes by explaining that she sees generative AI transforming knowledge management, although there are still challenges around hallucinations and the need to verify results:

We will have to sharpen our subject matter expertise because we will have to decide quickly whether something needs to be checked. We still need people skills — negotiation, judgment, analytical skills — and the ability to cascade knowledge to the lawyers who need it.

Read the full article in Briefing here (page four).