Rethinking AI in Law: Embracing a New Narrative

There’s a lot of concern these days about bringing AI into the legal world. People worry that AI could replace lawyers, compromise ethical standards, or even mess with the foundations of the justice system. While these fears make sense, they come from a particular narrative that’s been embedded in Western culture—something I read about in AI Ethics, which I just finished recently.

In the western world we’ve always been drawn to stories about creations going out of control. Think of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, where a scientist’s creation turns against him, or The Terminator, where AI becomes a threat to humanity, these kinds of stories make us view technology as something to fear ,something that could end up taking control from us.

But what if we looked at it differently? In Japan, there’s a very different attitude towards AI and technology. Influenced by Shinto beliefs that everything in nature has a spirit, Japanese culture tends to view machines and AI as potential partners, not enemies. Characters like Astro Boy or the robots in Doraemon show technology as something that works with humans rather than against them. There’s less of that inherent fear that we often have in the West.

That’s not to say Japan has no concerns about robots or AI, I mean there are plenty of examples in Japanese culture like Ghost in the Shell or Neon Genesis Evangelion where the risks of AI and technology are explored. I feel the key difference is that Japan tends to look at tech & AI as things that can be balanced and integrated into society, not as a threat to it.

If we applied this kind of thinking to the legal world, it could change everything. Instead of worrying that AI will take over, we could think about how it can make us better at what we do. AI can handle the repetitive tasks, process massive amounts of data, and find insights that a human might miss.

It doesn’t replace the lawyer—it gives them more time to focus on what really matters: solving complex problems, building relationships with clients, and navigating ethical challenges that only human judgement can handle.

AI could also help make legal services more accessible. By automating some processes, costs come down, and more people can afford the help they need. That’s what the legal profession is all about: upholding justice and serving society.

None of this means we should just jump into new tech without thinking it through. Ethical issues, data privacy, and the possibility of biased algorithms are serious concerns that need addressing. But if we approach these challenges as something to work through, rather than compete against, we can find better solutions.

By changing our narrative around AI, moving away from the fear-driven stories like Frankenstein and The Terminator—we can start to see what’s possible instead of just focusing on the risks. Adopting a more balanced view, like the one found in Japanese culture, might help us integrate technology into law in a way that benefits everyone.

AI is coming into the legal sector whether we like it or not, but how we handle it is up to us. By shifting from fear to collaboration, we can take advantage of what AI offers while keeping the core values of our legal system intact. It won’t be simple, but it holds real potential for a more effective, accessible justice system.