AI is speeding up change in many industries, and legal practice is no different. AI can be a powerful tool for lawyers to cut routine tasks and focus more on strategic work. But in developing jurisdictions, where infrastructure and laws are often behind, AI offers exciting opportunities and serious challenges. As AI spreads in legal work globally, developing regions must weigh the advantages of innovation against the risks of poor regulation and limited access. Let’s discuss AI legal practice in developing jurisdictions.

The power of AI in legal practice

AI can potentially make legal work more efficient, accurate, and accessible. In developing countries, where resources are often stretched thin, AI could play a key role in making legal systems more effective and fair.

AI-powered platforms are already transforming legal research, document review, and case management. In India, for example, tools like Manupatra use AI to improve legal research by quickly analysing large amounts of legal data. Manupatra is an online database for legal research that uses NPL, AI, and ML for information retrieval. It helps identify case precedents and predict case outcomes.

These tools cut down the time lawyers spend on repetitive tasks, allowing them to focus on deeper analysis and client work. This is especially useful in developing countries, where legal systems are often overloaded.

AI can also predict case outcomes, helping lawyers build better strategies. Tools like CaseMine’s ‘CaseIQ’ look at similar cases to forecast outcomes.

This predictive power can be a significant benefit in countries with overworked professions. Lawyers can decide more quickly whether to take a case forward, reducing court workloads and speeding up legal processes.

Access to justice is a significant problem in many developing countries, where legal services are often expensive and slow. AI can change this by automating routine tasks making legal services cheaper and faster. Automated tools for drafting documents or reviewing contracts can make legal help more affordable and accessible to more people.

AI-powered chatbots can also offer essential legal advice to people who cannot afford a lawyer, particularly in rural or remote areas where legal help is scarce. By speeding up legal processes and lowering costs, AI can help close the gap in access to justice between rich and poor.

Challenges in adopting AI legal practice in developing jurisdictions

While AI can transform legal practice, several challenges stand in the way of its adoption in developing countries. These include data privacy issues, ethical concerns, and cost barriers.

A key challenge for AI in legal work is protecting data. Many developing countries do not have strong data protection laws, making it harder to secure sensitive legal information. South Africa’s Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) is an exception, setting clear rules for handling personal data. POPIA also regulates AI-driven decision-making, ensuring strict privacy standards. India’s Digital Personal Data Protection Act provides similar protections.

Without solid data protection laws, AI systems used in legal work could expose sensitive information to risks. AI also relies on large datasets to function well, raising privacy concerns in countries with weak cyberinfrastructure.

AI systems are only as good as the data they learn from. If this data contains bias, AI can reproduce and even magnify these biases. In legal practice, this can have profound effects. If AI tools are trained on biased data, they can reinforce inequalities in the legal system.

It is vital to ensure AI tools are transparent and their decisions can be explained. Using opaque AI tools could further damage public trust in countries where judicial systems may already be fragile. Legal professionals need to understand how AI makes its decisions to avoid over-relying on technology that may not be fair or accurate.

Although AI can make legal work more efficient, AI tools are often expensive. Smaller law firms and individual practitioners in developing countries may struggle to afford them. Many AI platforms require significant investments in both technology and training.

How regulation can support AI legal practice in developing jurisdictions

Regulation is crucial in shaping how AI is adopted and used responsibly. Developing countries are starting to build frameworks that will allow AI to be used safely and ethically in legal work.

Several African nations have taken steps to create AI strategies. Kenya has introduced strong data protection laws to regulate AI use, while Egypt has adopted the Egyptian Charter for Responsible AI, focusing on transparency and accountability. South Africa’s POPIA sets a high standard by ensuring that AI-driven decisions are fair and transparent, at least from a data protection perspective.

However, not all countries are on the same page. Different laws in different places can create uncertainty and make AI adoption harder. The African Union is pushing for a unified AI regulatory framework to avoid this patchwork problem. Their proposal for an African Commission on AI could create more consistent and effective regulations.

Developing countries can learn from AI regulations in more developed areas. The EU’s AI Act is a good example. This law focuses on fairness, accountability, and human oversight. Adopting similar principles can help developing countries ensure AI is used responsibly, balancing innovation with the protection of human rights.

Tackling infrastructure and access challenges

AI can only succeed if the proper infrastructure is in place. Unfortunately, many developing countries lack the technology needed for AI to thrive.

Developing countries need to invest in digital infrastructure to benefit from AI fully. This means improving internet access, data storage, and cybersecurity. Governments and private companies must work together to build the technology foundations on which AI depends.

AI tools must also be affordable. Public-private partnerships could help reduce costs for smaller firms, while open-source AI platforms can offer cheaper alternatives for those who cannot afford expensive systems. Governments could provide grants or tax incentives to encourage AI adoption, speeding up the digital transformation of their legal systems.

Actions you can take next

AI can potentially transform legal practice in developing countries by making it more efficient, accessible, and data-driven. However, these benefits come with significant challenges, including privacy concerns, ethical issues, and the high cost of AI. Developing countries must carefully balance promoting innovation with ensuring that AI is used responsibly and moderately. You can: