Americans turn to AI over lawyers and win

By Alimat Aliyeva

In the United States, an increasing number of citizens are turning to artificial intelligence for legal assistance — and in some cases, completely replacing professional lawyers with AI tools.

One striking example comes from Lynn White, a resident of Long Beach, California. Faced with an eviction case, she used ChatGPT and Perplexity AI to research legal precedents, analyze court decisions, and draft her appeal. As a result, she successfully overturned the eviction and avoided over $70,000 in fines and debt — a dramatic reversal, especially considering her previous attorney had already lost the case.

Similarly, Richard Hoffmann of New York shared his experience of representing himself in a civil lawsuit against a former employer. Using AI, he developed a self-made legal strategy that guided him through the litigation process — without hiring a lawyer.

While these stories highlight the growing capabilities of AI in the legal field, experts caution against relying solely on artificial intelligence for legal advice. For instance, in 2023, OpenAI’s GPT-4 model passed the U.S. bar exam, scoring in the top 10% of test-takers. However, researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) warned that AI still lacks the nuanced understanding of law, ethics, and judgment required for complex cases.

AI tools are increasingly being used in legal tech platforms to draft contracts, summarize case law, and even predict case outcomes — a trend that is reshaping the legal profession. However, most legal professionals agree that AI should currently serve as a supporting tool, not a full replacement for human expertise, especially in high-stakes or emotionally charged cases.