Human Law, Human Lawyers and the Emerging AI Faith

The advent of AI has generated remarkable interest in the legal sector. A new ‘faith’ in the transformative power of AI has emerged among law practitioners. According to this new religion, AI would significantly improve the law and the legal profession thanks to automation and the ensuing gains. This development has a messianic taste insofar as it would support lawyers to deal with increasingly complex legal frameworks and a rising demand of legal services. Should lawyers embrace this new faith and allow themselves to be guided by the algorithmic power in the development of their practise? As for all new faiths emerging in times of crisis, this paper argues, caution is needed. The implications of the AI religion in the legal sector are far-reaching and shake the very understanding of human law and human lawyers. A critical perspective should be embraced by individual operators, firms and regulators when reflecting on the potential of AI for the legal sector.