In recent weeks, there have been a number of high-profile examples of how OpenAI’s nascent chatbot, the Generative Pre-Trained Transformer known as ChatGPT, may push the boundaries of nearly every established element of the legal space. In addition to taking and passing a law exam, the technology’s applications span everything from e-discovery to trial law and more and are being thoroughly examined by public and private pundits from every corner of the legal industry. In Massachusetts, state Sen. Barry Finegold cleverly introduced legislation to govern the impressive technology drafted by the tech itself.
From Twitter
Barry Finegold @Barry_Finegold· Jan 26
"Thanks for the assist, @OpenAI! For the full text of my legislation (An Act drafted with the help of ChatGPT to regulate generative artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT), please visit: https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/SD1827…. #mapoli #ChatGPT 1/7 https://twitter.com/i/status/1618742425232740352"
As is often the case, legislative frameworks are forced to adapt to rapidly changing technologies. Now, it seems this process may need to be accelerated as AI is already aggressively being integrated into the status quo. Another example of this is the recent announcement from Ironclad, a digital contracting platform, that it will be using OpenAI technology to complement its existing services.
“There has been a ‘race for novelty’ in our industry, but Ironclad has always prioritized investing in technology that drives impact and real business results for our customers. After testing GPT3 within Ironclad for several months, it’s clear that this is much more than novelty; it’s a groundbreaking innovation,” according to the platform. “In that spirit, we have been working with OpenAI to put the power of GPT3 to work across our product.”
According to the announcement, that product, which will be called “AI Assist,” is in beta testing. “… AI Assist lets users instantly generate redlines to an entire document. Those redlines–made using generative AI–appear as tracked changes, which allow human users to quickly scan and accept, or reject, those redlines in just a single click,” according to the product description.
The White House also weighed in on the subject with its recent release of the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource (NAIRR) Task Force report.
The report represents the federal government’s efforts to create a roadmap for how to address the many pressing issues related to artificial intelligence and develop a way to ensure adequate access to the necessary resources needed by those working on its research and development. “AI advances hold tremendous promise for tackling our hardest problems and achieving our greatest aspirations,” said Arati Prabhakar, the policy director for the Office of Science and Technology. “We will only realize this potential when many more kinds of researchers have access to the powerful capabilities that underpin AI advances.”
According to the White House, the NAIRR Task Force was established in the National AI Initiative Act of 2020 and is co-chaired by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the National Science Foundation. It features representation from private entities, academia and the public sector. “OSTP’s work on AI, including the development of an updated National AI R&D Strategic Plan and the Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights, is intended to maximize its benefits, while ensuring that AI-driven systems do not harm Americans’ rights or freedoms,” said Deputy Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy U.S. Chief Technology Officer Alexander Macgillivray.
Read the AI Bill of Rights here.