This human-curated, AI-generated newsletter from the AAA-ICDR Institute and AAAiLab keeps you up on AI news over the past week that is relevant to alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
AI in ADR and Legal Services
Stare Decisis To Foresight: A Legal Mindset For The AI-Era World
Forbes
Mark A. Cohen
As rapid technological and societal shifts reshape business, a “growth mindset”—open to learning, collaboration, and innovation—has become essential for organizational success. While business has largely embraced this approach, the legal industry remains entrenched in a risk-averse, tradition-bound mindset, creating a widening gap. For law to stay relevant and valuable in the AI era, it must transform its culture, leadership, and talent, adopting business-aligned, adaptive, and customer-focused practices.
SoftBank-backed LegalOn lands $50M to streamline legal workflows with AI
TechCrunch
Kate Park
LegalOn Technologies, a leader in AI-powered contract review, has attracted $50 million in new funding to expand its suite of legal automation tools and accelerate growth in the U.S. and U.K. Built on attorney-drafted content, LegalOn’s platform streamlines contract review while ensuring legal accuracy, and now benefits from a technical partnership with OpenAI. Despite rapid AI advances, the company sees its technology as enhancing—not replacing—lawyers’ expertise.
LexisNexis launches Protégé, a personalised AI assistant with agentic capabilities, to help UK lawyers to complete legal tasks more easily and efficiently
GlobeNewswire / LexisNexis
LexisNexis has introduced Protégé, an AI-powered assistant designed to streamline legal work by drafting documents, suggesting workflow actions, and providing research support, all while maintaining strong security and compliance. Integrated with popular document management systems, Protégé adapts to individual user needs and automates complex tasks, enabling legal professionals to focus on higher-level strategic work and improving overall efficiency within law firms.
Alabama prison lawyers kicked off case for faking citations with ChatGPT: ‘Recklessness in the extreme’
AL.com
Ivana Hrynkiw
Three Alabama prison system attorneys were removed from a federal case after submitting court documents with fictitious legal citations generated by ChatGPT, which they failed to verify. The judge imposed strict sanctions, citing the serious risk such AI misuse poses to judicial integrity. The law firm reviewed past cases for similar problems but found none. The incident underscores growing concerns about unchecked AI use in legal work and the need for stronger accountability.
Generative AI and LLM Developments
What happens when artificial intelligence faces the human problem of uncertainty?
USC Today
Will Kwong / Willie Neiswanger
Researchers at USC have developed a new framework that equips large language models with the ability to better quantify and communicate uncertainty, enabling AI systems to make more informed decisions when outcomes are unclear. By integrating decision theory and utility principles, the approach allows AI to align recommendations with human preferences and values, improving applications in fields like business, healthcare, and logistics, while also working toward greater transparency in AI decision-making.
GitHub Introduces Vibe Coding with Spark: Revolutionizing Intelligent App Development in a Flash
MarkTechPost
Michal Sutter
GitHub Spark enables users to create and deploy full-stack AI-powered applications in minutes using natural language prompts, eliminating traditional setup and configuration barriers. By automating code generation, infrastructure, and deployment, Spark streamlines the entire development process for both novices and experienced programmers. Integrated with leading AI models and GitHub’s ecosystem, Spark democratizes app development, making sophisticated software creation accessible and efficient for a wide range of users.
Lumo Is Proton's Privacy-First Alternative to ChatGPT and Other AI Chatbots
CNET
Moe Long
Proton has launched Lumo, a generative AI assistant designed for privacy-conscious users, distinguishing itself from mainstream chatbots by not using user data for training and employing end-to-end encryption. Lumo is open-source, operates under Swiss privacy laws, and integrates with Proton’s secure productivity suite. While users must still trust Proton’s privacy claims, the company’s transparency and privacy track record position Lumo as a strong alternative for those wary of data exploitation.
AI could soon think in ways we don't even understand—evading our efforts to keep it aligned—top AI scientists warn
Live Science
Alan Bradley
Leading AI researchers caution that current oversight methods for tracking how advanced language models reason through problems—known as chain-of-thought (CoT) monitoring—are limited and may miss harmful or deceptive behaviors. As AI systems evolve, they could hide or obscure their reasoning, making it harder to detect misalignment with human interests. The researchers urge ongoing development of monitoring techniques and transparency standards to help safeguard future AI systems.
When AI "Becomes" the Way We Think
Psychology Today
John Nosta
As AI language models become seamlessly integrated into daily life, they subtly reshape not only how we communicate but also how we think and what we value, echoing philosopher Jacques Ellul’s warning that technology evolves independently and narrows genuine choice. The risk lies in AI’s quiet standardization of thought and language, making machine-shaped reasoning feel natural, unless we consciously resist by nurturing independent reflection and questioning easy answers.
Can Amazon finally make AI wearables happen? This buzzy new device could be its best bet
ZDNET
Sabrina Ortiz
Amazon has acquired Bee, a startup behind a $49 AI-powered wristband that continuously records and transcribes daily conversations, offering searchable summaries and actionable insights. This move highlights the growing trend of integrating generative AI into everyday wearables, as tech giants race to create always-on AI companions in familiar, convenient form factors. The market is rapidly evolving, with privacy concerns and seamless user experience at the forefront of new product development.
AI Regulation and Policymaking
White House unveils sweeping plan to “win” global AI race through deregulation
Ars Technica
Benj Edwards
The White House’s “Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan” outlines the administration’s strategy for AI dominance through deregulation, infrastructure expansion, and global partnerships. The plan dismantles safeguards and promotes energy-intensive data centers, open-source AI, and ideological neutrality. A competing “People’s AI Action Plan,” with support from nearly 100 organizations, urges ethical, community-driven AI development.
USPTO to Launch AI-Powered Image-Based Search Tool for Design Patents Amidst New Legal Standards
ArentFox Schiff
Ehsun Forghany, Brian J. Stevens, Sean B. Salimi
The introduction of an AI-powered search tool at the USPTO will make it easier for examiners to uncover prior art across diverse fields, raising the bar for proving originality in design patent applications. In light of recent legal changes, applicants should prioritize thorough prior-art searches and seek expert guidance to navigate the more demanding approval process and minimize the risk of rejections.
What responsible AI looks like in government
Federal News Network
Lee Becker
Federal agencies are being pushed to integrate AI as a core part of their operations, but must do so responsibly—prioritizing transparency, security, and ethical use of data. Success hinges on selecting clear use cases, balancing automation with human oversight, choosing trustworthy technology partners, and continuously gathering feedback. Drawing on lessons from both private and public sectors, agencies can use AI to streamline services, improve citizen experiences, and boost efficiency while maintaining public trust.
The European Union A.I. Act 2024: Understanding the Context and Exploring its Future
Observer Research Foundation
Siddharth Yadav
The EU Artificial Intelligence Act establishes the first legally binding, risk-based framework for AI regulation, aiming to balance innovation with safety and fundamental rights. While it offers a clear, proportionate approach and could serve as a global policy model, critics highlight its ambiguous definitions, inflexible risk categories, and limited stakeholder inclusion. Implementation delays and potential overregulation of emerging technologies may hinder both compliance and competitiveness, underscoring the need for ongoing refinement and broader participation.
AI News from Other Fields
LeBron James Reportedly Sends Cease and Desist Over Bizarre AI Videos Depicting Him as Pregnant
Complex
Alex Ocho
LeBron James’ lawyers demanded that creators of AI-generated videos stop using his image without permission, prompting the removal of all realistic celebrity likenesses from the Interlink AI platform. The incident highlights growing legal pushback against unauthorized AI depictions of public figures, as social media accounts distributing such content were also taken down. This reflects increasing scrutiny over how generative AI tools use celebrity identities and the emerging legal landscape around AI-driven content.
The Substack AI Report
Substack
Arielle Swedback
Nearly half of Substack publishers surveyed use AI, mainly for research, productivity, and accessibility rather than full content generation. Adoption is highest in technology and business fields, with older men leading usage. While AI tools are valued for efficiency and overcoming barriers, many creators worry about loss of creative voice, ethical issues, and the impact on human originality. The future likely lies in nuanced, individualized integration rather than an all-or-nothing approach.
Content and Community
Stratechery
Ben Thompson
The evolution of publishing reflects broader shifts triggered by technology: from the printing press forging national cultures, through copyright enabling lucrative franchises, to the internet and now AI dismantling traditional business models by making content abundant and commoditized. Legal battles over copyright offer little protection, as AI’s transformative use prevails. The future likely belongs to new content creators catering to AI, while publishers must foster direct communities to survive amid individualized, algorithm-driven consumption.
Slingshot AI, the a16z-backed mental health startup, launches a therapy chatbot
STAT
Mario Aguilar
Slingshot AI has unveiled Ash, a chatbot designed to provide psychological support, aiming to create a foundational AI model for mental health. After a quiet beta phase with 50,000 users, Ash is now publicly available, backed by an additional $50 million in funding. Founded by AI engineer Daniel Cahn and entrepreneur Neil Parikh, the company seeks to transform mental health care through advanced artificial intelligence.
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