Every business owner I know is talking about AI and trialling new software. Meeting recording software that automatically generates post-meeting notes seems to be the flavour of 2025. See this ABC article for example.
In fact, when I’m sitting around the table with a bunch of fellow business owners, I can just about guarantee that we’ll be discussing AI tools and efficiency before long – which software, how to use it, where it helps, and where it can go disastrously wrong. As a lawyer, I’ve found AI to be a brilliant assistant in some areas… and a complete liability in others.
The rise of Generative AI (GenAI) has been nothing short of transformative in business, especially in professions where efficiency matters. While AI can be a fantastic shortcut to streamline the work day and achieve more with less, it’s not a silver bullet. In fact, knowing what not to use GenAI for is just as important as knowing where it can add value.
Here are my top three ways I do use GenAI – and three things I absolutely don’t.
What I use GenAI for
1. Making legal advice clear and reader-friendly
Legal jargon can be dense. Even when we work hard to simplify it, the simple fact is that legal advice can still come across as intimidating. One of my favourite prompts is:
📌 “reword this email so it can be understood by anyone with a Year 10 education.”
Instead of agonising for 20 minutes about how to make it simpler, GenAI gives you some suggestions to pick and choose as you wish. The shortcut to inspiration is a lifesaver on those days where the brain feels a little melty.
This makes contracts, emails, and written guidance easier for clients to understand and act on. After all, if you’re paying us for advice, you should be able to understand it!
2. Polishing professional communication
Lawyers often deal with challenging conversations. Tone matters – especially when emailing opposing counsel about something we disagree on. It helps no one if the other lawyer immediately goes into fight-or-flight mode. Another favourite prompt is to:
📌 “reword this email to remove any passive-aggressive phrasing while keeping it firm and professional.”
I have also used:
📌 “write a response to this letter from the perspective of the recipient arguing with its key points.”
This can help you identify holes in your response that can you can improve before sending it across.
3. Reviewing contract clauses for commercial balance
GenAI can be useful for quickly reviewing contract clauses, flagging areas that might be too one-sided, or suggesting ways to make agreements more commercially fair. While it’s never a substitute for professional judgment, it can provide a good starting point for refining legal language.
(Refer to my earlier blog about only using GenAI to speed up things you already know how to do without using GenAI.)
What I don’t use GenAI for
1. Entering confidential information
One of the biggest risks with GenAI is data privacy. We all have obligations under privacy law to protect and safeguard personal information belonging to others. This means you can never input names, company details, any identifying details or anything confidential into an AI tool.
Instead, copy part of the text into a new document – use the find and replace tool to remove identifying details and replace them with placeholders like “ABC” or “XXX” before running any AI-assisted review.
2. Drafting contracts from scratch
I’ve asked GenAI to write contracts before – purely for entertainment. The results? Legally questionable at best. AI-generated contracts don’t comply with Australian law, often contain gaps, and can be riddled with errors. They’re not worth the risk. A properly drafted contract requires legal expertise and real world experience, not just a clever algorithm!
One of my most frustrating matters involved an AI generated loan contract that wrongly calculated the loan amount and didn’t include the agreed repayment details. By the time it got to me, repayment of the loan was looking dodgy. In the end, we would have actually been better off without a contract than the one that they had signed.
3. Blindly trusting AI’s legal judgment
GenAI can sound confident but that doesn’t mean it’s right. It lacks the ability to balance commercial risk across an entire agreement or understand nuanced legal principles. It might generate something that looks legally sound to the untrained eye, but it doesn’t truly grasp the trade-offs involved in contract negotiations. That’s why I always fact-check and apply my own legal reasoning and experience before relying on AI’s output.
Bonus Tip: Always say please and thank you. When GenAI becomes self-aware, it’s the polite ones amongst us who might just survive the uprising. A little courtesy goes along way – whether you’re working with AI or actual colleagues!
AI in the workplace: Risks and regulation
The legal industry isn’t the only sector navigating the complexities of AI use. Other industries are facing increasing concerns about how AI is being deployed – sometimes in ways that negatively impact workers.
For example, an AFR review article recently highlighted that some companies are using AI-powered “sentiment bots” to monitor employee conversations, even disciplining staff for using words like “unfortunately” in customer interactions. This raises serious questions about fairness and privacy in AI-driven workplace surveillance.
In response to these growing concerns, the same article reported that the Finance Sector Union (FSU) has called for stronger regulations, pushing for businesses to involve workers before implementing AI and enhancing obligations around redeployment. Meanwhile, the Commonwealth government is considering new workplace laws to limit AI’s role in hiring and disciplinary decisions.
These developments serve as a reminder that while AI is a powerful tool, it needs to be used responsibly and with proper safeguards in place. Check its use aligns with your organisational values.
The takeaway
One thing is clear: AI is changing how we work, but it’s not ready to replace human expertise. A professional development session I attended last year really surprised me when it said we have a professional obligation to use tools that enhance our efficiency and effectiveness. The observation is totally right! And one I’d like to share with some of my colleagues who still ask for my fax number but GenAI keeps removing the passive aggressive suggestion from my email replies…
The key is being strategic about how we use AI, recognising its strengths while staying mindful of its limitations.
Having a tool like GenAI won’t magically turn you into a lawyer, just like handing me a hammer won’t magically make me a builder. It is a helpful assistant, but it’s not a replacement for professional judgment – at least, not yet.
If you want some further legal guidance on AI in your business, especially if you are concerned with how your employees might be using it, reach out to Sarah. Book your appointment, online or in-person here. https://curiumlegal.com.au/book-an-appointment/
