The Power—and Limits—of Hybrid Intelligence
The most promising advances today stem from what I call hybrid intelligence: the fusion of machine analytics with human judgment. Automated systems can process data at unprecedented speed, but legal work demands nuance, context, and discernment that only experienced professionals provide. In practice, the best outcomes come from systems where attorneys remain deeply involved—testing, interpreting, and refining AI outputs. For example, in a recent cross-border discovery matter, our team used AI to triage millions of documents in record time. Yet it was our review leads who recognized where context and nuance mattered—refining the model’s approach to ensure privilege and sensitivity were correctly identified. Technology amplifies our capacity, but it’s disciplined human oversight that makes the process defensible and trustworthy.
