Professor Nick Datzov and 3L Theodore W. Ramage featured on KFYR TV
Implications Artificial Intelligence platforms can have on law schools
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Artificial intelligence has been evolving rapidly, especially in the last two years with platforms like ChatGPT. Across the country, universities are having discussions about how AI should be used in higher education.
Artificial intelligence, like ChatGPT, has both fans and critics, but UND Assistant Law Professor Nick Datzov says it can have a place in education when it’s used correctly.
But it can also be abused, which results in problems like copyright infringement, data privacy breaches and biased or inaccurate information.
“I think it’s going to bring some efficiencies to what we do as lawyers, to what we do as law faculty and what our students do as law students. But at the same time, it does worry me, because I think now there’s this potential for, you know, information, first of all, to be created very quickly, which raises some concerns about quality,” said Datzov.
He says using it incorrectly could limit the student’s participation and impact their ability to improve.
He said other faculty are looking to incorporate it, and they already utilize it in their courses.
He’s been thinking about potentially creating a class on AI in the future but already uses it as a tool.
Some law students have watched AI evolve, so they understand how it might impact their future careers.
“What AI can’t replace are the practical aspects of law, whether that be things like client interactions, courtroom presence, oral advocacy, etc., and specifically, the ethical decision-making that comes along with the practice a lot. With AI tools, there’s going to become an over-reliance on them,” said Theodore W. Ramage, UND law student.
Students can use it to practice things like legal analysis and integrate it thoughtfully, but it’s still evolving. In one case, ChatGPT actually passed the uniform bar exam, placing in the 90th percentile.
“And this tells us that if a machine can excel at a test designed to measure legal proficiency, it’s likely that the bar exam and legal education as a whole needs to evolve,” said Ramage.
He says he is not worried about AI like ChatGPT replacing his career as an attorney because of this, but if used correctly, says it could help him in the future.
UND is also a part of the NDUS AI forum where state education administrators and faculty members share ideas about AI.
