The Texas A&M Journal of Property Law has made a groundbreaking move by publishing a full issue of articles written with the assistance of artificial intelligence (AI). The journal's editorial board, led by Editor in Chief Spencer Nayar and Managing Editor Michael Cooper, explored the potential benefits and challenges of AI-assisted scholarship in the legal field.
The four articles published in the issue were technically authored by Kansas Law professor Andrew W. Torrance and UC-Irvine professor Bill Tomlinson, who used AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to draft and revise their work. While AI played a significant role in the writing process, the authors emphasize that all content was reviewed and verified by the research team.
The journal considered whether AI-assisted articles could be used to grant tenure, concluding that human authors remain responsible for the output. The use of AI didn't undermine the articles' reliability; instead, it might even enhance it due to the verification process. AI reduced the drudgery of writing, but the editors note that it can't replace the value of human effort in research and analysis.
The Texas A&M Journal of Property Law also proposed a five-level taxonomy for signaling the level of AI involvement in a work, ranging from purely human output to purely AI-generated content. This taxonomy aims to provide transparency and accountability in AI-assisted scholarship.
Harvard Law School's David Wilkins notes that AI has the potential to transform the practice of law, making legal information more accessible to people. However, he also highlights the challenges of unequal access to AI tools, which could exacerbate existing inequalities in the legal system. As AI continues to evolve, it's essential to consider its implications for the legal profession and ensure that its benefits are equitably distributed.
