Warnings about AI misuse have intensified after lawyers from Morgan & Morgan faced potential sanctions for using fake case citations in a lawsuit against Walmart.
The firm’s urgent email to over 1,000 attorneys highlighted the dangers of relying on AI tools, which can fabricate legal precedents and jeopardise professional credibility. A lawyer in the Walmart case admitted to unintentionally including AI-generated errors in court filings.
Courts have seen a rise in similar incidents, with at least seven cases involving disciplinary actions against lawyers using false AI-generated information in recent years. Prominent examples include fines and mandatory training for lawyers in Texas and New York who cited fictitious cases in legal disputes.
Legal experts warn that while AI tools can speed up legal work, they require rigorous oversight to avoid costly mistakes.
Ethics rules demand lawyers verify all case filings, regardless of AI involvement. Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, creates risks by producing fabricated data confidently, sometimes referred to as ‘hallucinations’. Experts point to a lack of AI literacy in the legal profession as the root cause, not the technology itself.
Advances in AI continue to reshape the legal landscape, with many firms adopting the technology for research and drafting. However, mistakes caused by unchecked AI use underscore the importance of understanding its limitations.
Acknowledging this issue, law schools and organisations are urging lawyers to approach AI cautiously to maintain professional standards.
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Meta has unveiled plans to host its first-ever developer conference dedicated to generative AI, called LlamaCon. Scheduled for April 29, the event will focus on Meta’s open-source AI efforts, particularly its Llama models.
The company aims to share updates that will help developers build new AI-powered applications. Additional details are expected in the coming weeks, with Meta’s broader annual conference, Meta Connect, set for September.
The company has positioned itself as a leader in open-source AI, boasting hundreds of millions of downloads of its Llama models. Major firms, including Goldman Sachs, AT&T, and Accenture, are among those integrating Llama into their services.
However, reports suggest that Meta has been caught off guard by the rapid rise of Chinese AI company DeepSeek, whose latest models may challenge Llama’s dominance. Meta has reportedly launched internal efforts to study DeepSeek’s approach to efficiency and cost reduction.
With a planned $80 billion investment in AI this year, Meta is pushing ahead with new Llama models that could include reasoning, multimodal, and autonomous capabilities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed confidence in Llama’s potential to become the most widely used AI model.
Online fashion retailers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to tackle the costly issue of clothing returns, with up to 30% of purchases being sent back due to sizing problems. A study by McKinsey estimates that each return costs between $21 and $46, significantly affecting profit margins. Many customers order multiple sizes and return those that don’t fit, creating logistical headaches for retailers.
To address this, companies are adopting AI-driven sizing tools. French start-up Fringuant, for instance, uses an algorithm that analyses a shopper’s height, weight, and a quick selfie to predict the best size. Zalando, a German e-commerce giant, has also implemented its own AI-powered tool that guides customers by comparing their body shape with garment dimensions. These technologies are already helping some brands reduce return rates significantly.
Beyond sizing, AI is also improving warehouse operations to prevent shipping mistakes. Smart cameras on order pickers’ trolleys at logistics firms help ensure the right product is selected, while AI-equipped robots track stock levels, reducing errors that lead to returns. As online shopping continues to grow, retailers hope these innovations will streamline processes and boost efficiency.
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The European Commission has removed the AI Liability Directive from its 2025 work program due to stalled negotiations, though lawmakers in the European Parliament’s Internal Market and Consumer Protection Committee (IMCO) have voted to continue working on the proposal. A spokesperson confirmed that IMCO coordinators will push to keep the directive on the political agenda, despite the Commission’s plans to withdraw it. The Legal Affairs committee has yet to make a decision on the matter.
The AI Liability Directive, proposed in 2022 alongside the EU’s AI Act, aimed to address the potential risks AI systems pose to society. While some lawmakers, such as German MEP Axel Voss, criticised the Commission’s move as a ‘strategic mistake,’ others, like Andreas Schwab, called for more time to assess the impact of the AI Act before introducing separate liability rules.
The proposal’s withdrawal has sparked mixed reactions within the European Parliament. Some lawmakers, like Marc Angel and Kim van Sparrentak, emphasised the need for harmonised liability rules to ensure fairness and accountability, while others expressed concern that such rules might not be needed until the AI Act is fully operational. Consumer groups welcomed the proposed legislation, while tech industry representatives argued that liability issues were already addressed under the revamped Product Liability Directive.
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Google Meet’s AI-driven note-taking feature is getting a major upgrade with the ability to generate action items from meeting transcripts. The update, powered by Google’s Gemini AI, will automatically identify key tasks, assign deadlines, and designate responsible individuals at the end of each meeting.
Originally launched in August 2024, the AI transcription tool already provides accurate speaker separation and structured summaries in Google Docs. With this latest enhancement, the technology aims to improve productivity by ensuring that key takeaways are actionable and well-organised.
The feature begins rolling out today but at a slower pace than usual, as Google closely monitors its performance and quality. While AI-generated notes can be a helpful time-saver, some users may still prefer manual control over meeting documentation, especially when handling sensitive information.
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Former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati has launched a new AI startup called Thinking Machines Lab, backed by a team of around 30 researchers and engineers from companies such as OpenAI, Meta, and Mistral. The startup aims to create AI systems that encode human values and address a wider range of applications than existing rivals, according to a blog post from the company.
Murati’s new venture demonstrates her ability to attract top talent, with two-thirds of the team made up of former OpenAI employees. Among them are Barret Zoph, a well-known researcher who joined Murati in leaving OpenAI in September, and John Schulman, OpenAI’s co-founder and the startup’s chief scientist. Schulman previously left OpenAI for Anthropic to focus on AI alignment, a key goal of Thinking Machines Lab.
The company’s approach differentiates itself by combining research and product teams in the design process. Thinking Machines Lab plans to contribute to AI alignment research by sharing code, datasets, and model specifications. Murati, now CEO of the startup, has previously played a major role in developing ChatGPT, and her exit from OpenAI reflects a broader trend of high-profile departures amid changes at the company.
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Freelance marketplace Fiverr is rolling out new AI tools designed to help gig workers streamline their work and maintain competitiveness. The ‘Personal AI Creation Model’ allows freelancers to train AI systems on their own work, offering clients either automated or blended content.
Freelancers retain ownership of the generated content and can set prices for its use, with the service costing $25 per month.
The tools aim to address challenges in the gig economy, where generative AI has increased competition while reducing opportunities. Fiverr highlights that the AI creation model prioritises freelancers’ control, ensuring their data is not misused.
Additionally, a ‘Personal AI Assistant’ is available to help with routine tasks and client communication, priced at $29 per month or included with Fiverr’s premium subscription.
Fiverr is also introducing a programme granting company shares to its top-performing freelancers. While the specifics remain undisclosed, the initiative reflects efforts to support gig workers in an increasingly competitive market.
As generative AI reshapes industries, Fiverr’s initiatives could help freelancers navigate the evolving landscape while enhancing their earning potential and safeguarding their creative work.
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Despite 61 percent of Japanese people being aware of generative AI, only 9 percent have used it, a recent survey by the Nomura Research Institute revealed. Younger generations show higher adoption rates, but overall public hesitation remains, particularly among older age groups.
As Japan faces a declining workforce, the government and businesses see AI as a potential solution to boost productivity. However, concerns over privacy, security, and misinformation have slowed adoption. Financial market disruptions and regulatory actions against AI models, such as China’s DeepSeek, have further intensified scepticism.
While some companies, particularly in labour-strapped industries, are beginning to implement AI, a shortage of specialists and a lack of reliable information present significant challenges. Despite these hurdles, Japan is pushing forward with AI development, with initiatives like SoftBank’s partnership with OpenAI and government plans to regulate and promote AI use in a ‘safe and secure’ manner.
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French AI company Mistral has introduced Mistral Saba, a language model tailored for Arabic-speaking users. Unlike its previous general-purpose models, Saba is designed to handle Arabic content more naturally and effectively, positioning Mistral as a competitor to US-based AI giants. The model also demonstrates strong performance in certain Indian languages due to cultural and linguistic overlaps.
The move signals Mistral’s growing interest in the Middle East, a region with increasing demand for AI-driven services. By offering an off-the-shelf model for Arabic-language support and content generation, the company aims to attract regional businesses and potential investors. Mistral has already secured funding from major US firms, but future investments from Middle Eastern partners could strengthen its global standing.
Mistral Saba is accessible via API and can be deployed on-premise, making it particularly appealing to industries such as finance, healthcare, and energy, where data privacy is crucial. The company has hinted at plans to develop more regional AI models, reinforcing its commitment to multilingual AI solutions, not just in France.
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South Korea has unveiled plans to acquire 10,000 high-performance GPUs by the end of the year, aiming to strengthen its national AI computing capabilities.
Officials emphasised that global AI competition has escalated from corporate rivalries to clashes between nations’ innovation ecosystems. Acting President Choi Sang-mok stated that public-private cooperation would be key to launching services at the country’s national AI computing centre.
The initiative comes amid the US government’s newly implemented restrictions on exporting AI chips, which categorise countries into tiers. South Korea remains exempt from these restrictions, allowing it access to advanced GPUs.
Details on the budget, specific GPU models, and private sector partners are expected to be finalised by September, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.
US-based Nvidia dominates the GPU market with an 80% share, with rivals Intel and AMD trailing behind. Meanwhile, OpenAI, supported by Microsoft, is developing its first in-house AI chip to reduce dependency on Nvidia.
Chinese startup DeepSeek has also entered the AI scene with models prioritising computational efficiency over raw processing power, potentially narrowing the technological gap with US-made processors.
As nations race to secure technological supremacy, South Korea’s move signals its commitment to advancing its AI infrastructure and staying competitive in the global AI ecosystem.
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