Airia CEO: Artificial intelligence in legal field will lead to an exciting evolutionary change in the ecosystem
Ari Kaplan recently spoke with John Marshall, the CEO, and Dan Quintas, the head of legal solutions at Airia, a generative artificial intelligence platform for law firms and other organizations.
They discussed the hurdles that firms face in adopting AI, their progress, common mistakes that legal teams make when deploying generative AI, and how to keep up with rapid technological changes.
Ari Kaplan: Tell us about your background and the genesis of Airia.
John Marshall: I have been in enterprise software for 30 years, focusing on solutions that serve as the back-end infrastructure solutions to business problems. AirWatch is an example of a mobile device manager where we worked closely together with Apple to help companies implement mobility at scale. AirWatch enabled technology deployment in firms of all sizes by integrating systems such as email, documents, and certificates. After selling AirWatch, I cofounded OneTrust which focused on enterprise privacy and GDPR compliance. Airia was created when AI became mainstream. I saw the same challenges we faced with mobility, in that AI requires infrastructure that is secure, easy to use, and integrated. Our experience allows us to provide the enabling technologies that law firms require to maximize AI. Legal services, like other sectors, face a broad AI spectrum due to the complexity of use cases. AI adoption is currently focused on document-driven applications. Document-heavy workflows naturally benefit from AI-driven efficiencies, particularly in discovery and contracts.
John Marshall is the CEO, and Dan Quintas is the head of legal solutions at Airia, a generative artificial intelligence platform for law firms and other organizations.
Ari Kaplan:
What hurdles must law firms and legal organizations overcome to fuel AI adoption?John Marshall:
The first hurdle is getting started. Many firms are already using AI without realizing it, through tools such as Microsoft Copilot and integrated AI features into more comprehensive legal tech solutions. The two main obstacles are the fear and uncertainty that surround security and governance. I recommend that you start small, with low-risk tasks like document comparisons or caselaw research. A firm can benefit from AI by starting with low-risk tasks. Some firms are using AI to gain an advantage in the market, while others use Copilot for specific applications. Most firms are still in an early majority phase and are looking for high-value apps they can confidently deploy to their professionals. Ai Kaplan:
Which mistakes are legal teams committing in their deployments of generative AIJohn Marsh:
They would not be mistakes. They are more like learning opportunities. Firms should not bury their heads in sand, but instead take small, calculated actions to experiment and learn. Inaction is the worst mistake. As AI becomes a standard, the legal field will also see rapid adoption. How can people keep pace with the rapid changes that are occurring in generative AI?Ari Kasplan:
Dan Quintas : It’s overwhelming to track the AI developments. Businesses must be aware of the impact of AI updates and new models. Airia’s mission is to make AI accessible to everyone, helping firms stay ahead of these advancements. Our mission at Airia is to make AI accessible to everyone, helping firms stay ahead of these advancements.
Ari Kaplan: How do you see the future of AI evolving in legal?
John Marshall: The legal industry is competitive, and no firm wants to be left behind. AI adoption will rise because of its competitive advantages, from faster processes to more accurate results. We will see the adoption start with simple tasks like discovery or caselaw, but eventually tasks will be combined into more complex workflows. Law firms will likely use a variety of domain-specific and regional AI models, tailoring them to their needs, which will lead to an exciting evolution in the ecosystem.
Listen to the complete interview at Reinventing Professionals.Ari Kaplan regularly interviews leaders in the legal industry and in the broader professional services community to share perspective, highlight transformative change and introduce new technology at his blog and on iTunes.
This column reflects the opinions of the author and not necessarily the views of the ABA Journal–or the American Bar Association.
