The Systems Will Change Before the Mindsets Do: AI, Law, and the Limits of Tradition

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Summary

In Episode 12 of the AAAi Podcast, Bridget McCormack and Zach Abramowitz spoke with Professor Richard Susskind about his new book How to Think About AI: A Guide for the Perplexed . The discussion ranged from judicial transparency to the future of legal education and provided a rare, clear-eyed perspective in a field often clouded by hype and hesitation.

Susskind, a longtime commentator on the intersection of AI and law, emphasized that the greatest challenges to progress are not technical but rather professional, cultural, and institutional.

Key Takeaways :

The legal system doesn’t just need AI—it needs to be rebuilt with it . Most of what’s called innovation in legal is just automation, layering tech onto inefficient, outdated processes.