AI can give us answers in seconds. But when those answers are being used as part of a legal case, speed isn’t the only thing that matters. You also need to know whether the information is accurate and where it has come from.
So, can you rely on an AI generated answer?
The answer depends on how the AI is being used and whether you have a way to check what it tells you.
AI can get things wrong
AI systems can process large amounts of information quickly, but that doesn’t mean every answer they produce will be correct. Generative AI can sometimes produce information that sounds convincing but is inaccurate or unsupported. These are commonly known as AI hallucinations.
This is particularly important when AI is being used with medical records. A date, diagnosis, treatment or clinical event could all be relevant to the direction of a case, so accuracy matters.
That’s why AI generated answers shouldn’t be taken at face value.
Where did the answer come from?
One of the most useful questions you can ask when using AI is: where did this information come from?
If an AI tool gives you an answer but doesn’t show the information behind it, it can be difficult to check whether that answer is accurate. When an answer can be linked back to its original source, the user can review the information themselves rather than relying on the AI alone. For legal teams this is particularly valuable. AI can help find the information, while the solicitor remains responsible for deciding what it means for the case.
What information is the AI using?
It’s also important to understand what information an AI system is using to generate its response.
A general-purpose AI tool may draw on a much wider body of knowledge. A system designed to work with specific case documents can instead base its answers on the information contained within that case.
For example, if you’re trying to establish when a claimant was first referred to a particular specialist, the useful answer is the one supported by the medical records you’re reviewing. Giving AI access to the right information is just as important as the question you ask it.
Being able to verify an answer matters
AI can make finding information much quicker, particularly when working with thousands of pages of medical records. But being able to check the answer is incredibly important. A good AI system shouldn’t ask the user to choose between speed and oversight. It should make it easier to find information while still allowing the user to return to the original source.
This keeps the user in control and means AI can support their work without replacing their judgement.
How does Ask Alex work?
Ask Alex is the AI assistant within MedBrief Insights, designed to help users find information within their case documents.
Users can ask questions about a case and Alex searches the available case information to provide an answer.
Each answer includes citations to the source documents, allowing the user to see where the information has come from and check it against the original record. So instead of just receiving an answer, users have a way to verify it.
So can you rely on AI generated answers?
AI can be a valuable tool for finding and working with information, but it shouldn’t remove professional judgement. When using AI for cases, users should be able to understand what information the system is working with, where its answers have come from and how those answers can be checked.
AI is most useful when it helps users get to the information they need more quickly, while giving them the ability to verify it for themselves.
At MedBrief, that’s how we approach AI: helping legal teams work more efficiently while keeping them in control.