Why the World Doesn’t Need Human Document Reviewers 

As legal work increasingly turns to technology, artificial intelligence (AI) has proven itself capable of revolutionizing document review. Many argue that AI can handle tasks more effectively than humans. Here’s why AI might be better suited for legal document review than human reviewers.  

First-Pass Review: Faster and More Accurate  

AI handles large volumes of data far more efficiently than human reviewers. Where humans might take weeks or months to go through documents, AI can complete the task within much shorter periods of time, as it is not constrained by human limitations.  AI tools allow work to proceed based on the team’s needs and deadlines, eliminating the impact of human effort and fatigue limits, creating new and efficient workflows for handling your data.   Not only does AI work faster, but it also performs consistently. Human reviewers can get tired, miss details, or introduce bias—none of which are concerns for AI systems.  

Reduced Costs and Increased Consistency  

AI can dramatically cut down on legal costs, reducing the need for large teams of reviewers. Law firms and corporate legal departments can deploy AI to process documents at a fraction of the cost associated with human review, especially as AI can be turned on and off at will without losing any of the trained knowledge from a lack of use. AI’s consistent application of criteria across all documents also ensures more accurate results compared to human reviewers, who might apply the same guidelines in a wide variety of different ways.    

Second-Pass Review: Growing AI Sophistication  

While early applications of AI were limited to identifying keywords, the latest AI systems are increasingly capable of understanding context, recognizing patterns, and even identifying privileged information. Machine learning algorithms allow AI to improve its performance as it processes more data. As a result, AI is now able to handle second-pass reviews with a high degree of reliability, reducing the need for human involvement even in more complex stages of document review.  

Handling Privileged and Sensitive Information  

AI tools have become adept at flagging privileged documents or sensitive information through sophisticated pattern recognition. This level of precision reduces the chances of human error in the disclosure of sensitive material. As AI continues to advance, its ability to manage these more intricate tasks will only improve.  More importantly, deploying an AI solution against your sensitive materials allows for even greater limitations on access to sensitive data by potential nefarious actors.    

Flexibility and Future Potential  

While AI systems are currently trained on existing data, they continue to evolve. Machine learning enables AI to adapt quickly, making it increasingly valuable in dynamic and complex legal cases. Knowledge gained by the system isn’t lost as time passes or skills are not used, as true AI systems aren’t bound by traditional limitations, allowing them to grow in sophistication and handle new challenges more effectively than a human workforce that requires constant retraining.  

The Future is Automated  

The benefits of AI in document review—speed, cost-effectiveness, consistency, and growing sophistication—make a compelling case for replacing human reviewers. As AI continues to improve, it will take on more significant roles in the legal process, reducing the need for human intervention in most document review tasks. Human reviewers may still be required in limited situations, but AI’s efficiency and accuracy make it the future of legal document review.