ISLAMABAD, Oct 28 (DNA):Founder and Chief Executive Officer of DigiLawyer, Danish Ghaffar has cautioned users against blindly relying on artificial intelligence (AI) for legal research and advice, stressing that AI-generated information must be verified under the supervision of qualified legal professionals to avoid potentially serious consequences.
Talking to APP, Danish said that although AI was transforming legal research in Pakistan, the technology was not yet capable of replacing human judgment, particularly in sensitive legal matters where inaccurate information could adversely affect the outcome of cases.
He acknowledged that AI hallucinations, including incorrect legal references and misleading interpretations, remained a significant concern in legal technology.
He said DigiLawyer had introduced mechanisms allowing users to verify AI-generated responses through links to original judgments and references to specific paragraphs from which information was extracted.
However, he emphasised that lawyers must independently examine legal authorities and apply their professional judgment before relying on AI-generated research in court proceedings.
Danish said DigiLawyer, which currently had approximately 25,000 users, employed Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) technology and specialised AI agents to facilitate legal research across different areas of law.
He said the platform had also developed an algorithm to identify judgments that had been overruled or distinguished, helping legal professionals assess the applicability of precedents.
He said DigiLawyer envisioned a system in which QR codes attached to judgments could eventually provide access to government-verified court records, subject to collaboration with relevant authorities.
On data protection, he said the company followed several security practices associated with international standards, although it had yet to obtain formal SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications.
Referring to DigiLawyer’s agreement with the Pakistan Bar Council, he said the collaboration would support the expansion of AI-powered legal research and training programmes for lawyers across Pakistan.
He said the initiative would also promote AI literacy among legal professionals and encourage the responsible use of emerging technologies in legal practice.
Ghaffar said DigiLawyer was also developing specialised services for different professional sectors, while its mobile application was undergoing testing. He added that the platform supported legal drafting in Urdu, an important feature for legal practitioners working at the district court level.
He reiterated that AI should be treated as a supporting tool rather than a substitute for qualified legal professionals, underscoring the need for human supervision, independent verification and accountability in its use.
