21.01.2026

Why artificial intelligence in the legal field will give up in the Romanian countryside

Everywhere around us, we hear only about how artificial intelligence ("AI") will replace human labor. No, I'm wrong, it will fire them from their jobs, with one (quantum) foot in the (biological) grave. It's true, reality shows us that every day the office printer is getting smarter (so it breaks down more often, because it thinks more), and watches are used for anything but telling the time. But beyond all the apps that are invading us from all sides, let's see if the bogeyman is really that big (if there is an app with this name, for the record, I don't want to destroy anyone's reputation; in my day, it was just an urban legend, but times are changing).

So, why can't people in Romania really be replaced by AI in the legal field?

Let's see what the American Bar Association has to say about the help provided by AI in the legal system (for them, of course, it's a long way off, an ocean away, and a different system).

First, AI can help lawyers predict the outcome of a case by using statistics from the case law of a particular court. This is not possible in Romania. Published solutions are anonymized, including with regard to judges, and when a private company requested access to this data, precisely for the above purpose, the Superior Council of Magistracy opposed it, citing potential dangers related to the security of magistrates. In addition, the Romanian legal system is so unpredictable in its decisions that any algorithm would succumb with its circuits artfully blown up (like the hairs on Einstein's head) as soon as it was tasked with finding predictability.

IA performs a quick selection and coherent analysis of kilometers of case law books. Yes, a great help where case law—that of the ordinary courts—really matters as a source of law, in the form of judicial precedent. Not in Romania, where it is enough to throw a few cases on paper to make it look good. Anyway, it's judged according to the law, so...

AI will take over the work of paralegals. Well, in Romania, the "esteemed" AI is first invited to submit a written request (the famous "file with a rail") to various departments of the courts and prosecutors' offices. After that, we talk to him. There are non-public files that are not uploaded to the electronic file, there are partially uploaded files, and of course, there are power outages. By then, our paralegal will have retired.

IA identifies potential risks of a conflict and the possibility of it turning into a court dispute, helping to resolve it amicably. Okay, I already had the hysterical laughter reaction when I was in my early twenties and mediation was first attempted in Romania. Nothing has changed. Romanians are born shepherds (seriously, read Miorița) and insist on proving to a higher authority (no, that one is too high and does not accept written requests) that they are always right. Hence the number of lawsuits, which will never decrease in Romania.

IA saves lawyers from hard work and frustration because it drafts the first version of documents, even those with many pages. No, definitely not, because it can't read the file on its own, which is the only situation where it would actually be helpful. Plus, everything it knows, it knows from what it has read on the internet, including errors, intentional mistakes, and exaggerations. And why write a lot when no one reads beyond a certain number of pages? Let's adapt to reality, I say.

In the end, the most important thing is that AI has major vulnerabilities. It can be unplugged, frozen at -10 degrees outside on your phone or laptop, hacked by malicious people, used as a Trojan horse, and, most importantly, it doesn't go out for beer and snacks. I don't even know why it would be worth living.

An article by Victor Dobozi Ph.D. (vdobozi@stoica-asociatii.ro) - Senior Partner - STOICA & ASOCIAȚII.