REGULATORY AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN NIGERIAN LEGAL PRACTICE
Keywords:
Regulatory, Ethical Implication, Artificial Intelligence, Legal PracticeAbstract
This study examined the intersection of artificial intelligence and legal practice in Nigeria, assessing both the opportunities and challenges presented by AI integration within a framework traditionally reliant on conventional legal tools and governed by existing statutes and rules of court. Adopting a doctrinal methodology, the research revealed that while artificial intelligence offered substantial benefits to Nigerian legal practice including enhanced efficiency in legal research, improved accuracy in document review, and reduced costs, the absence of a comprehensive legal framework specifically regulating AI constituted a critical impediment to its optimal and responsible utilisation. The study contributed to legal scholarship by evaluating the adequacy of existing Nigerian legal instruments, including the Evidence Act, the Nigeria Data Protection Act, and the Rules of Professional Conduct, in addressing AI-specific challenges and identifying gaps requiring legislative attention. Based on these findings, the research recommended that the National Assembly enact specific legislation regulating AI in Nigeria, establishing standards for algorithmic transparency, liability frameworks for AI-generated harm, and oversight mechanisms, with particular provisions addressing AI use in legal practice including standards for AI-generated evidence and requirements for algorithmic accountability in legal decision-making.
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