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Welcome to this week's edition of The Legal Wire!

Accusations of “literary heists” are once again rocking the AI world, this time from AI researcher and author Toby Walsh, who alleges that tech giants freely use copyrighted books without consent. On the product front, Google is charging ahead with Gemini 2.0 by introducing AI Overviews and an experimental AI Mode, promising faster, smarter search that taps real-time web data.

Meanwhile, policymakers are stepping in to keep AI in check. The Ontario Law Commission and the Ontario Human Rights Commission released new guidelines to control AI bias. Closer to home, California is pioneering legal protections against automated decision-making in the workplace with the proposed “No Robo Bosses Act.” If passed, it would be the first U.S. law to ban fully AI-driven hiring and firing decisions, underscoring the growing call for human oversight in employment.

Questions about authenticity and trust loom larger than ever. Disinformation and deepfakes muddy the waters of what’s real, prompting companies like DataTrails to develop tamper-evident solutions and watermarking tools to prove a digital file’s origin. But how urgent is data trust for you?

This week’s Highlights:

• Industry News and Updates

• Proving Authenticity in a World of AI and Deepfakes

• Ayora: A Data-Driven Approach to Matter Profitability

• AI Tools to Supercharge your producivity

• Legal prompt of the week

➡️ AI’s Literary Heist: Big Tech’s Unchecked Use of Copyrighted Books | AI researcher and author Toby Walsh accuses tech giants of training AI models on copyrighted books without consent or payment, calling it a massive digital heist. Comparing it to Napster-era piracy, he argues publishers need stronger leverage for fair compensation. While he signed Black Inc’s AI deal, he warns of AI’s unchecked data collection leading to corporate control over knowledge and culture.
^{March 7, 2025, Source: The Guardian}

➡️ California Bill Seeks to Curb AI-Driven Workplace Decisions | California Sen. Jerry McNerney introduced the "No Robo Bosses Act" (SB 7) to regulate AI-powered decision-making in workplaces. The bill would ban AI from making hiring or firing decisions without human oversight and prohibit systems from using personal data for adverse actions. Employees would have the right to appeal AI-driven decisions. Backed by labor unions, the bill aims to ensure AI remains a tool, not a replacement for human judgment in employment decisions. If passed, it would be the first law of its kind in the U.S.
^{March 6, 2025, Source: CBS News}

➡️ Google Expands AI Overviews and Introduces AI Mode in Search | Google is enhancing its AI-powered search experience by upgrading AI Overviews with Gemini 2.0 and introducing an experimental AI Mode for deeper reasoning and multimodal capabilities. AI Overviews now provide faster, more accurate responses and support complex queries in coding, math, and other fields. AI Mode, available via Labs for Google One AI Premium subscribers, expands AI’s role in search, offering more detailed answers and follow-ups. Google emphasizes integrating its AI with real-time web data while improving accuracy and ranking systems.
^{March 5, 2025, Source: Google}

➡️ Ontario Law Commission Releases AI Human Rights Report | The Law Commission of Ontario and the Ontario Human Rights Commission released a background report expanding on their 2024 Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) framework. The report provides additional guidance on AI self-reporting assessments and their role in preventing bias and discrimination. While not yet mandatory, Ontario’s Enhancing Digital Security and Trust Act and Canada’s proposed Artificial Intelligence and Data Act signal increasing regulatory focus on AI accountability. The report aligns with global efforts, including the UN’s Governing AI for Humanity report and discussions at the AI Action Summit.
^{March 5, 2025, Source: Jurist News}

Legal Technology

Proving Authenticity in a World of AI and Deepfakes, do you care to know?

AI Innovations and the rise of convincing deepfakes have blurred the lines between what’s real and what could be fabricated. It’s much easier for bad actors to manipulate data including shredding, back-dating, forging and tampering with evidence. This shift underscores the critical importance of data trustworthiness—how can we reliably prove a digital file’s origin and authenticity in a world where anything can be digitally manipulated way faster than it can be checked?

Companies like DataTrails are answering that call by offering tools that capture and prove data provenance in an instant. From tamper-evident ledgers for evidence trails to invisible watermarking solutions to catch content manipulation, these innovations help us track who did what, and when—restoring much-needed confidence in digital interactions. DataTrails’ Instaproof tool, for instance, gives anyone a quick and easy way to verify file authenticity without heavy tech overhead. And with deepfakes becoming a bigger problem, industry analysts and organizations like Gartner and the FS-ISAC have highlighted an urgent need for disinformation security solutions that provide a robust defense against digital forgeries.

But how urgent is all this to you? What concerns do you have in your business that could be remedied with fast and robust data trust in your tool bag? Or are there bigger concerns on your plate? We’d love to hear your thoughts via the poll below, please share your vote, and let’s keep the conversation going.

Legal Technology

Ayora: A Data-Driven Approach to Matter Profitability

Managing matter profitability in law firms is often a fragmented process, relying on manual tracking, spreadsheets, and retrospective analysis. Ayora offers an alternative: a platform designed to provide real-time financial oversight, helping legal and finance teams monitor live matters, track billing schedules, and address potential write-offs before they occur.

Read the full article here

🆕 KAILA - A Smarter Way to Work With Legal Information

🆕 Jurimesh - Redefining Speed and Accuracy in Legal Due Diligence

🆕 Infino Legal - Simplify Restructuring and Empower your Office

Want more Legal AI Tools? Check out our
Top AI Tools for Legal Professionals

This prompt showcases how ChatGPT can efficiently track and condense legislative updates, saving lawyers significant research time. It provides clear action items, helping firms stay current and offer proactive advice to clients. Perfect for maintaining a competitive edge in a fast-evolving legal environment.

Prompt: Identify the most recent legislative changes affecting [specific legal area]. Summarize each change, focusing on the potential impact on clients, key compliance requirements, and any deadlines or transitional provisions. Include a concise action plan outlining how legal practitioners can advise their clients effectively.

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