AI has revolutionized eDiscovery, particularly in the redaction phase, which was once labor-intensive but is now streamlined with AI integration. At PLUSnxt, our advanced AI software efficiently identifies and highlights redaction-worthy information, reducing the workload to just one person (or one and a half with AI). This innovation offers significant time and cost savings for our clients.
For decades, when personal or sensitive information required redaction, the only method available was for a team to sift through each document, identify the sensitive information, and cross it out by hand. This archaic method was both arduous and time-consuming. With the development of computers and the digitization of documents, this process was greatly streamlined as you could now search for keywords or phrases that needed redaction instead of reading entire documents. Over the last decade smaller innovations, such as regular expressions, have helped further simplify the process. However, even with these advancements, redaction still required numerous man-hours to complete. Until now…
Relativity has recently introduced AI for PI, an AI software that can accurately identify and redact personal and sensitive data, regardless of format, and without the need for much human involvement. Before this new technology, search results were format-sensitive and therefore less accurate. Now, search inquiries can be submitted conversationally, akin to a dialogue between two individuals. This eliminates the necessity for meticulously formatted prompts, which previously made it easy to omit personal data that didn’t strictly adhere to those confines.
Consider this analogy: in the early days of cars, they operated with manual transmissions. While effective, these transmissions were prone to stalling and required considerable time to learn and master. Similar challenges were present with black Sharpie redactions, they demanded substantial time and physical effort, while the risk of missing crucial information was not only possible but plausible.
Enter automatic transmissions – a game-changer in driving simplicity. Drivers no longer had to navigate through all the gears; they simply needed to shift to drive, neutral, or park. This parallels what computers and digitization achieved for redactions. However, while the process became more manageable, it still demanded substantial input from the “driver.”
Now, on the cusp of another technological revolution, we have self-driving cars that autonomously shift, steer, and park. In the realm of redactions, we find ourselves in a similar leap in technology. AI will take on the heavy lifting, finding the information that needs redacting with leaving the human supervisor with more of a QC role.
These advancements have happened quickly; while it may seem daunting to adapt and implement them, the technology is comprehensible. Failing to embrace it will undoubtedly leave your practice behind, depriving your clients of valuable resources. At PLUS we offer this technology not to replace you, but to empower you. Happy driving.
