Andrew and the Marvellous Analytical Engine
A barrister’s practical guide to artificial intelligence for lawyers and other thoughtful professionals.
Artificial intelligence is already changing legal and professional life. Most people know that. Much fewer understand what the technology actually is, what it is good for, where it goes wrong, and how it should sensibly be used.
This book was written to close that gap.
Written in plain English, it explains what modern artificial intelligence is, how it differs from earlier forms of computing, and why recent developments have proved so disruptive to professional work.
It pays particular attention to lawyers and the legal world. It looks at how AI is already being used, where the real risks lie, and why professional judgment remains central.
The book takes an honest position. Artificial intelligence is not magic and it is not a menace. It is a powerful and genuinely novel technology that professional people need to understand — not at a superficial level, but well enough to use it with judgment, spot where it goes wrong, and make sensible decisions about when and how to rely on it.
The book covers: the history and mechanics of AI, in plain language; how large language models work and why they behave as they do; AI in legal practice — drafting, research, costs and evidence; the ethics and regulation of AI; and what the future of legal and professional work is likely to look like. It was written for lawyers of all kinds — barristers, solicitors, judges, in-house lawyers, legal academics — and for any thoughtful professional who wants a serious account without the hype.
It has been described by the Law Society Gazette as ‘a thoughtful and informative guide to AI that will no doubt prove an invaluable handbook for all lawyers.’
‘A thoughtful and informative guide to AI that will no doubt prove an invaluable handbook for all lawyers — not just those in the middle-aged bracket.’ — Law Society Gazette (Five Stars)
‘An intelligent book about artificial intelligence and lawyers.’ — Civil Litigation Brief