Blame human lawyers, not tech, for courtroom glitches: Robin AI Cofounder

For the founders of London-based startup Robin AI, the benefits artificial intelligence could bring to the legal profession were clear. But the headlines focused on the fantasy law that was drafted and brought before the courts are not helping their cause.

Launched in March 2019 by lawyer Richard Robinson and computer scientist James Clough, Robin AI is designed to use artificial intelligence to streamline contracting processes – including drafting and reviewing contracts and legal documents. Robinson said he and Clough were inspired by watching developers train AI to play games like AlphaGo and realizing that machines could be taught to understand rules and terms.

Another reason, he said, is to try to reduce the cost of legal services.

“I worked at two big law firms and in my first week at the law firm I saw an invoice with my name on it that we were sending to a client,” Robinson told Decrypt in an interview. “I couldn't believe how expensive it was. My parents could not afford an hour of my time, and so I wanted to build a business that would try to use technology to reduce the cost of legal services. That was basically the goal.

To achieve its goal, Robin AI has raised $26 million in Series B funding led by Singapore-based investment firm Temasek, the company announced on Wednesday. As a launch partner of Claude AI developer Anthropophic, Robin's AI technology is powered by Claude 2.1.

Others joining the Series B round of funding include QuantumLight, Plural and AFG Partners. Robinson says that while Robin AI has a significant war chest from its previous investment round, the level of demand, particularly from the United States, is seeing Robin AI call for expansion — and that will require additional investments.

“Most of our customer base has always been in the US, but most of our staff have always been in London,” says Robinson. “So managing your demand without significant investment in your infrastructure was not easy.”

Robinson says learning more about AI's capabilities has led to a demand for more skilled and expensive talent.

“Then Temasek came along, which made perfect sense for us,” Robinson said. “They are a big Asian fund, and we want to be a global business. So we quickly came to an agreement.

When asked why Robin AI decided to partner with Anthropic over competitor OpenAI, Robinson pointed to Anthropic's stance on safe and responsible AI development and aligning with Robin AI's security-focused approach by creating tools with strict response limitations.

“We need it [Robin AI] To have a tight defense,” Robinson said. “That was one thing, and another thing we really liked the team. We have been deeply involved with them since their inception. They were great colleagues and friends for us.

Generative AI took off into the mainstream last year with the official launch of ChatGPIT, and many industries, including the legal industry, have turned to the technology. One aspect of artificial intelligence that has been a concern for anyone using the technology is the AI ​​illusion.

On Sunday, US Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts weighed in on the potential and risks of AI in the legal system, saying the technology risks invading privacy and “dehumanizing the law.”

While Robinson acknowledges AI's penchant for fantasy, he notes that ongoing research and product design is focused on catching these errors. Robinson rejects the idea that AI will dehumanize legal services, but instead defends the hurdles faced by many by saying that AI could make legal advice more accessible and affordable.

In his year-end report, Roberts cited cases in which lawyers have used AI and which have not because of AI nightmares.

Last month, a federal judge asked former President Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, to show evidence published in court filings after the court said he could not verify their existence.

While it's easy to blame the technology, Robinson says it's up to the attorneys to do their due diligence.

“That's a bad lawyer,” Robinson said. “I was a litigator; if I cited a case, I had to prove it was true—that's my job to do. That's what the bar is for. To teach you how to use the tools to get justice.”

Although AI continues to be a nightmare and that AI will take over the workforce, Robinson is optimistic about the future of AI in the legal sector, but admits that it will lead to fewer lawyers.

“This technology is transformational,” Robinson said. If the technology is transformative, it will eliminate jobs. But in the long run I think lawyers will be more efficient, which means you'll need fewer of them to do the same amount of work, and I think you'll see the same thing in every industry.

Edited by Ryan Ozawa.