Overview
- The Solicitors Regulation Authority has issued a formal warning that solicitors and those who supervise them remain accountable for any work produced or assisted by generative AI.
- The SRA disclosed it received 42 reports about possible AI misuse in the past year and has a number of ongoing investigations into cases of inaccurate or misleading AI outputs.
- The regulator's main concerns are AI 'hallucinations' that produce false case law or citations and the risk that entering client-confidential material into public or poorly protected AI tools can breach confidentiality and waive legal privilege.
- The SRA warned supervisors could face regulatory action if false AI-generated citations are put before the court without adequate review, citing earlier high-profile errors such as the Pinsent Masons incident.
- The regulator urged firms to adopt proportionate, risk-based governance, stronger human oversight, and contractual and technical safeguards for AI use to protect clients and the integrity of court submissions.