Artificial intelligence (AI) is a key emerging technology that is poised to see vastly expanded use in many areas in which white-collar criminal practitioners work. AI currently is playing a growing role in helping white-collar lawyers and their clients analyze vast amounts of data to uncover insights, connections, and patterns that would be impossible to detect through manual reviews. As AI begins playing a more important role in compliance, fraud detection, and governmental investigations, regulators in the United States and around the world are adopting rules for how AI is implemented. Courts also are weighing in on the use of AI in litigation where it is used to analyze large amounts of electronically stored information (ESI). This article provides an introduction to AI technology and discusses the key regulatory developments practitioners should be aware of as they advise their clients on AI.

Background on AI

AI refers to computer processes that can mimic human cognitive skills, and computer scientists typically divide AI into Weak AI and Strong AI. Weak AI, also known as Narrow AI, is the type of AI used today to describe programs and algorithms that are designed to perform specific tasks such as playing chess, driving a car, and recognizing patterns in large data sets. Strong AI, also known as Artificial General Intelligence, is a theorized form of AI whereby a computer would have intelligence that is comparable to the human mind and includes generalized abilities to reason and analyze information.