Could Artificial Intelligence Spell the End of the Conveyancing Solicitor?

AI is thought to be the future in many areas of life, but could it take over some of the legal side of buying and selling houses? Probably not, according to the findings of one law firm, which put the popular AI tool ChatGPT to the test.

Conveyancers Bird & Co tested the tool to see how well it answered the most common questions which buyers ask their solicitors. Unsurprisingly, the lawyers found the chatbot wanting.

The team analysed ChatGPT’s answers to the most frequently searched legal questions by first time buyers. According to the lawyers, the answers appeared to be detailed and informative, with credible sources including the government website. However, the responses lacked substance and were sometimes based on dated information. In other words, less useful than the results of a basic web search.

The study also showed that ChatGPT appeared to oversimplify the processes of home buying, compared to the in-depth advice which would be provided by an experienced solicitor, based on the client’s actual circumstances.

Daniel Chard, partner and head of property for Bird & Co, said: “As AI technology becomes more sophisticated, we think solicitors should embrace the benefits that ChatGPT provides and utilise it to reduce workload. It could be that AI tools are used to answer very basic queries or to draft skeleton documents such as for wills or contracts. This could be utilised by legal professionals to cut down time and workload where applicable.

“However, after carrying out this study, it’s clear ChatGPT has a long way to go before it replaces any form of legal expert in giving actionable advice involving conveyancing.”

Read more about this story on the Estate Agent Today website.