'World's First Robot Lawyer' Now Available In All 50 States (theverge.com) 79
An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Verge: A chatbot that provides free legal counsel using AI is now available in all 50 states starting today. This is following its success in New York, Seattle, and the UK, where it was invented by British entrepreneur Joshua Browder. Browder, who calls his invention "the world's first robot lawyer," estimates the bot has helped defeat 375,000 parking tickets in a span of two years. Browder, a junior at Stanford University, tells The Verge via Twitter that his chatbot could potentially experience legal repercussions from the government, but he is more concerned with competing with lawyers.
"The legal industry is more than a 200 billion dollar industry, but I am excited to make the law free," says Browder. "Some of the biggest law firms can't be happy!" Browder believes that his chatbot could also save government officials time and money. "Everybody can win," he says, "I think governments waste a huge amount of money employing people to read parking ticket appeals. DoNotPay sends it to them in a clear and easy to read format."
"The legal industry is more than a 200 billion dollar industry, but I am excited to make the law free," says Browder. "Some of the biggest law firms can't be happy!" Browder believes that his chatbot could also save government officials time and money. "Everybody can win," he says, "I think governments waste a huge amount of money employing people to read parking ticket appeals. DoNotPay sends it to them in a clear and easy to read format."
Surely this was a Futurama episode already. (Score:1, Funny)
Not that that counts as prior art, but...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I would go with the episode Overclockwise where Bender seeks a mistrial on the grounds of double jeopardy.
That's the closest example I can think of.
Re: (Score:2)
The Jetsons had entire robot courts.
Particularly fond of the idea of the Jury VAC
Re: Surely this was a Futurama episode already. (Score:1)
The future is now (Score:3, Funny)
We seem to be closer and closer to Futurama every day, what's next, Atlanta underwater and hyper chicken lawyers?
Re: (Score:1)
Waiting for the coming of the Space Pope, myself.
Re: (Score:2)
I'd settle for robot soap operas.
engineering needs an union they have a kind of one (Score:1)
engineering needs an union they have a kind of one with the PE system so they just need move up to an full one.
About time. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re: (Score:1)
And when the time comes to kill you, you will be cool with that?
Re: (Score:1)
We were talking about killing lawyers, not people.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:1)
Why can't you get your ID back?
Re: (Score:1)
Why can't you get your ID back?
Lost the email address I used when I setup my original /. account,(Changes ISPs) and the password I have in my password manager is incorrect.
Re: (Score:2)
I had forgotten my password but still had access to a email address I used previously but not the one it was currently set to and they were able to reset it for me.
I used the passwords@slashdot.org email address for support.
This was back before the most recent change in management tho.
Good luck :)
Re: (Score:1)
Who are you, Robot Shakespeare?
Oh no! (Score:2)
We can finally begin killing all the lawyers.
Some lawyers are great. I've never met people more dedicated to the betterment of the world than the public interest community of lawyers. A lot of people there who spend their lives in relatively low paying jobs when they could be much better paid elsewhere, and who change the lives of thousands of people in their communities. I also know lots of great people in private practice.
That being said, the system lawyers operate in creates a lot of problems by incentivizing bad behavior, and has many other proble
Re: (Score:2)
We can finally begin killing all the lawyers.
We can't kill the lawyers yet. It failed to answer my question.
Q: "I'm suspected of treason. Should I tweet incriminating e-mails?"
A: "I'm sorry to hear that. Here's how I can help:", with blank space and a box offering "Extra help within 24 hours."
Within 24 hours? I needed this advice DAYS ago.
Re: (Score:1)
Q: "I'm suspected of treason. Should I tweet incriminating e-mails?" A: "I'm sorry to hear that. Here's how I can help:", with blank space and a box offering "Extra help within 24 hours."
Within 24 hours? I needed this advice DAYS ago.
Is that you Comrade Trump?
lots of things are available in all 50 states (Score:2)
"Robot Lawyer" Output (Score:4, Informative)
It's a simple form. This is what attracts VC money and articles in major publications for this student? What the fuck.
To Whom it May Concern,
I received a letter claiming I committed a moving traffic violation in LOCATION on DATE.
As per the instructions, I am writing to plead 'not guilty' to this charge. Although this option is said to result in this matter going to court; it is my suggestion that the charges simply be dropped. This suggestion comes out of respect for tax payers, and my request that their hard earned money not be wasted in such proceedings.
As there is no evidence of my involvement with this alleged 'crime', as well as the fact that I am not granted my 6th amendment right to face my 'accuser' (a camera); I see no way the government could prove my guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. I also see find no legal requirement for me to implicate someone else in this process, as it is the government's responsibility to prove a person's guilt. It is also my 5th amendment right to remain silent on the
matter.
If it is the government's decision to move forward in this matter, I would request copies of any evidence the prosecution may have of my involvement in the 'offense'; as well as, all maintenance records for the camera(s) involved.
Sincerely,
NAME
Re: (Score:2)
Your accuser is the state, who will be represented. The camera is not your accuser, but merely a tool for gathering evidence. The image of your license plate on the photo is considered sufficient evidence to convict, and you were presented with that evidence when you received your notification of offence. While your desire to save the taxpayers money is commendable, it is best served by selecting the NO CONTEST option and paying the indicated fine.
Sincerely
Records Officer B. Finney.
Re: (Score:2)
Cinco e-Trial (Score:2)
Perfect for use with Cinco e-Trial [youtu.be]
Misleading title (Score:5, Informative)
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Next you're going to tell us WebMD isn't totally just as good as visiting your doctor's office!
Re: (Score:1)
WebMD diagnosed my pancreatic cancer. I treated it with herbal supplements and a homeopathic drug and recovered completely! Who needs doctors?!
Captcha: undoes
Absence of a soul (Score:2)
n/c
public defender for Mississippi (Score:1)
So, Mississippi could use this chat bot for its public defender system?
Re: (Score:3)
It would probably be better than 90% of Mississippi court-appointed lawyers.
Let's put this to the test... (Score:2)
hmm doesn't really work for me. (Score:4, Interesting)
No matter what I type it just gives me search results for cease and desist debt collectors.
Re: (Score:2)
>"No matter what I type it just gives me search results for cease and desist debt collectors."
Better than what I get. What I type is not even visible on the screen and then it says "I'm sorry to hear that, Here's how I can help:" and the rest of the page is just blank. Turned off my plugins and reloaded- no difference. Yeesh.
Misleading headline (Score:5, Interesting)
This is no Robot Lawyer. I am not sure exactly what it is to be called,
but a Robot Lawyer it is not. It is more like a "Robotic/Automated assistant for a small selection of certain legal matters that gives you a canned form or canned letter to use for the simplest situations", and
Its effectiveness depends partly on flying under the radar, because lawyers happen to often write the same kind of verbiage, and the letters they use can "Bluff the prosecution" out of pursuing further actions, that is, cause the authorities to skip over you because you're too much trouble and they'd actually have to do work to pursue you, since the canned forms make them THINK you have actually bothered with the expense to hiring lawyers, causing them to back off to avoid extra costs or adverse ruling against them.... So you can get the penalty cancelled by the court, and then the government workers don't bother to pursue the matter further, since it's not worth it in their minds.
COUGH. If they DID choose to pursue the matter, your Robotic "Lawyer" would be quickly outgunned.
Re: (Score:2)
Meh (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
There is a reason practicing law without a license is a crime. It is to ensure accountability. If a lawyer gives you bad advice, he can be sued for malpractice, lose his license, or even go to jail.
Well I'm not sure where you are where poor legal advice (from a suitably qualified legal professional) can result in a custodial sentence ... but yes, there's a bloody good reason that you take your advice from a practising [sic] lawyer: Most importantly, her liability insurance will go some way to repairing an
Re: (Score:1)
Any country like that is better served by anarchy.
This guy is EXTREMELY brave for the exact reason you mention. Lawyers are NOT going to be happy about this.
Impeach A President? (Score:1)
Simpsons Chiropratic Episode (Score:1)
The $15 per hour! (Score:1)
It's not about the fast food worker...
A great many people in professional jobs can be automated easily.
Billions of people employed shuffling physical paper around the world could be just a few lines of code.
Not the first. (Score:2)
There was a robot shark used in Jaws back in 1975.
So we need robo judges... (Score:2)
Can't wait for divorce lawyer robots (Score:2)