The Drawbacks of Using AI to Generate Wills

In this blog, we'll explore how AI can be used to draft Wills, and what this could mean for the future of the legal sector. 

 

Firstly, it's worth noting that Will drafting is a time-consuming and often complex process. Solicitors typically spend a significant amount of time researching relevant laws, reviewing prior cases, and ensuring that the language used in the document is clear and concise. This process can be arduous and time-consuming. 

 

With the use of AI, it is now possible to now generate legal documents quickly and efficiently. By analysing vast amounts of data, these programs can identify patterns and generate text that is consistent with legal standards and language. 

 

 

While the use of AI to draft wills and other legal documents can bring benefits such as speed and cost-effectiveness, there are also some potential drawbacks to consider: - 

 

• Lack of human judgment and expertise: Whilst AI can be effective in generating standard legal documents, it lacks the human oversight and judgment that a skilled solicitor can provide. This means that there is a risk that the document generated by the software may not be appropriate for the client's needs or may contain errors. 

 

• Lack of empathy and personal touch: The process of drafting a Will involves more than just generating legal text and often involves important personal and emotional considerations. While AI-powered software can generate legal text, it cannot provide the same level of human connection and understanding that a skilled solicitor can provide. 

 

• Potential for errors and inaccuracies: While the software can be trained to recognize a range of legal scenarios and provisions, it may not be able to adapt to unique or complex situations that require creative problem-solving such as blended families or moral consideration. 

 

• Security and privacy: The use of AI to generate legal documents requires large amounts of sensitive personal and financial information to be fed into the system. There is a risk that this data could be compromised, either through data breaches or misuse by individuals with access to the system. 

 

In conclusion, while AI-powered document drafting software has the potential to automate the process of drafting Wills, there are some drawbacks to consider. These include a lack of human oversight, limited adaptability, data privacy and security concerns, legal liability, and a lack of human connection. As with any technology, it is important to weigh the potential benefits against the potential drawbacks and to use it appropriately and responsibly. 

 

As it stands, AI is not yet at a proficient standard to draft Wills to the same level as a legal professional or solicitor and is still a very human process. 

 

 

At Avery Walters our team of specialists can provide advice about writing Wills, reviewing existing Wills, making changes, varying estates and more.