Harvey adds Google and Anthropic AI
The OpenAI-backed startup is widening its AI toolkit, saying different models perform better at different legal tasks based on new internal testing.
Harvey, the fast-growing legal AI startup backed early by the OpenAI Startup Fund, is now embracing foundation models from Google and Anthropic instead of relying solely on OpenAI’s.
In a recent blog post, the company said it would expand its AI model options after internal benchmarks showed that different tools excel at different legal tasks.
The shift marks a notable win for OpenAI’s competitors, even though Harvey insists it’s not abandoning OpenAI. Its in-house benchmark, BigLaw, revealed that several non-OpenAI models now outperform Harvey’s original system on specific legal functions.
For instance, Google’s Gemini 2.5 Pro performs well at legal drafting, while OpenAI’s o3 and Anthropic’s Claude 3.7 Sonnet are better suited for complex pre-trial work.
Instead of building its own models, Harvey now aims to fine-tune top-tier offerings from multiple vendors, including through Amazon’s cloud. The company also plans to launch a public legal benchmark leaderboard, combining expert legal reviews with technical metrics.
While OpenAI remains a close partner and investor, Harvey’s broader strategy signals growing competition in the race to serve the legal industry with AI.
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