Three AI topics to watch in 2025

Issue 10

Greetings. I’m going to keep this newsletter short, as many of us would prefer to spend less time on screens during this last week of the year.  

Today I’m going to give you a brief preview of three AI topics I’ll be watching for interesting developments in 2025, which I’ll be turning into a three-part newsletter series: 

1. AI Agents 

Many in the legal tech community believe that AI agents are going to be the next big thing. AI agents are computer programs that can perform tasks autonomously, extending the potential of generative AI beyond merely responding to a user’s queries. For example, AI agents can perform assignments that are complex and involve multiple steps.[i] A few AI companies have already released AI agent tools for lawyers, and I expect to see more movement on this front in 2025. More on this topic next week. 

2. Benchmarking 

As I wrote a few weeks ago, most of the AI tools for lawyers are new to the market, which means that independent reviews of these new tools are currently scarce. What’s happening with benchmarking of AI tools for lawyers, why does it matter, and what should lawyers do in the absence of benchmarking information about AI tools they are interested in? Come back in two weeks to find out.  

3. Copyright Infringement Cases 

I am tracking over thirty copyright infringement cases that have been filed in the U.S. in relation to allegations of scraping of copyrighted information for purposes of training AI models. Purchasers of A Lawyer’s Practical Guide to AI have access to summaries of these cases and other AI-related lawsuits, which are periodically updated. What’s happening with the copyright cases, and what can we expect to see in 2025? Check back in three weeks for more. 

Wishing you a healthy and happy start to the new year. 

Thanks for being here.  

Jennifer Ballard
Good Journey Consulting

P.S. Last chance to take advantage of introductory pricing for A Lawyer's Practical Guide to AI. If you've been thinking about purchasing the guide, be sure to do so before the end of the year, as the price will increase to $499 in 2025. 

[i] Susanna Ray, AI agents – what they are, and how they’ll change the way we work, Microsoft, (Nov. 19, 2024), https://news.microsoft.com/source/features/ai/ai-agents-what-they-are-and-how-theyll-change-the-way-we-work/.