AI Lab Launches at UChicago Law: Students Build Legal AI Tools
This fall, University of Chicago Law School introduces the AI Lab, a seminar where students create AI tools to serve millions, focusing on legal issues. Rather than just learning to use AI, participants will build it, gaining experience similar to that of tech entrepreneurs.
William H. J. Hubbard, deputy dean and chair of the Law School’s AI committee, highlights the importance of preparing students for the growing intersection of AI and law. The AI Lab offers an immersive, practical experience led by an expert with direct legal tech experience.
Expert Guidance from Kimball Dean Parker, ’13
Kimball Dean Parker, a former student of Hubbard and founder of SixFifty, leads the AI Lab. SixFifty provides automated employment law documents and an AI-powered employment law database designed to help businesses comply with regulations across jurisdictions.
Parker explains their use of retrieval augmented generation to ensure AI answers are sourced exclusively from their verified legal database, achieving industry-leading accuracy.
How the AI Lab Works
Students will build a legal AI chatbot focused on renter rights across the U.S. The process involves creating a database of carefully researched law summaries, guided by interviews to identify real user questions. This ensures the tool addresses actual needs effectively.
“Generative AI is like a blender—the quality of the ingredients defines the final product,” Parker says. By inputting a high-quality legal database into the AI, the resulting chatbot will offer reliable, accessible information on landlord-tenant law.
The goal is a user-friendly tool for renters and landlords, providing clear explanations of varied state laws that are often difficult to find and understand. This AI chatbot aims to fill the gap for those who cannot afford legal counsel.
Experience Beyond Using AI: Building It
Law students usually learn how to apply AI tools, but the AI Lab teaches them how to create these tools. Since AI is already integrated into many legal research platforms, understanding its construction and limits will be crucial for future lawyers.
Parker emphasizes that hands-on experience is vital: “AI is like putty; you have to interact with it to grasp its capabilities and limitations.” The Lab offers a sandbox environment to develop this competency, which will be valuable throughout legal careers.
UChicago Law provides an ideal environment for such innovation, with top-tier students and faculty fostering fresh ideas in legal technology.
Additional Resources
- To explore AI courses that can complement legal expertise, visit Complete AI Training - Courses by Job.
- For more on how AI can be applied in professional settings, see AI Tool Databases.
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