In a significant development, Thomson Reuters has announced the integration of generative artificial intelligence (GAI) across its product suite, a move following its recent Casetext acquisition. This marks a notable advancement in legal technology, with Thomson Reuters’ AI-Assisted Research on Westlaw Precision and other integrations enhancing legal research and drafting capabilities.
Westlaw Precision’s AI-Assisted Research
As of Wednesday, Thomson Reuters has made its AI-Assisted Research on Westlaw Precision available to all existing subscribers at no additional cost, according to Mike Dahn, head of product management at Thomson Reuters. This feature, leveraging various large language models, allows users to interact with the legal research platform through a CoCounsel-style chatbot interface, delivering results within two minutes. The platform, built on a retrieval augmented generation (RAG) framework, is trained on Thomson Reuters’ comprehensive legal research data.
The Focus on Accuracy and Evolving Technology
Dahn emphasized the importance of accuracy over avoiding AI hallucinations, stating, “hallucination-free is a low bar.” The technology is trained on primary sources, with plans to include secondary ones soon. Dahn anticipates reduced processing times as the underlying technology evolves.
Investment in AI and Cloud Development
David Wong, Thomson Reuters’ chief product officer, highlighted the company’s decade-long investment in AI. The recent focus on cloud offerings and native cloud development has been crucial in integrating AI-assisted legal research and CoCounsel across the Thomson Reuters ecosystem. However, Wong and Dahn reiterated that these AI tools are not replacements for human research but efficient aids.
CoCounsel Core and Future Integrations
Since acquiring Casetext, CoCounsel’s integration into Thomson Reuters’ applications has been ongoing, as shared by Jake Heller, CEO of Casetext. CoCounsel will soon feature as a chatbot in various applications, including Microsoft Word drafting solutions. The team is developing new capabilities, such as drafting responses to written discovery and contract clauses. CoCounsel Core, offering CoCounsel features independently of a Westlaw subscription, will be available at an “affordable” price.
Future Plans and Beta Testing
Thomson Reuters also plans to integrate GAI technology into its Practical Law tool by early 2024. This move is part of its broader strategy to incorporate GAI across its legal solutions. These initiatives align with Thomson Reuters’ commitment, announced in May, to explore generative AI capabilities and its partnership with Microsoft 365′s Copilot.
Thomson Reuters’ latest announcements represent a significant leap in the legal technology landscape. By harnessing the power of generative AI, the company is set to revolutionize legal research and drafting, providing more efficient and accurate tools for legal professionals.
