Source: De Rebus

De Rebus, the South African attorneys' journal, publishes an article emphasizing the non-negotiable ethical obligation of legal practitioners to meticulously verify all content generated by Artificial Intelligence. The piece highlights the inherent risks of relying on generative AI tools, which are prone to "hallucinations"—the fabrication of information, including non-existent case law and statutes. The author argues that a lawyer's professional duty to provide competent and accurate advice to clients and the court remains unchanged by the introduction of new technologies. Submitting unverified AI-generated work constitutes a serious breach of this duty.

The article underscores that the ultimate responsibility for the accuracy and integrity of any legal document or argument rests solely with the human lawyer. It calls for a paradigm of "critical use," where AI is employed as a preliminary drafting or research assistant, but every single output is subjected to rigorous fact-checking and validation against reliable legal sources. The piece serves as a stark reminder to the South African legal community that the convenience and efficiency offered by AI cannot come at the cost of professional diligence and ethical integrity. Failure to verify AI content not only jeopardizes a client's case but also undermines the credibility of the lawyer and the legal profession as a whole.