The New Co-Pilot in the
Sky: Autopilot
Let’s start 5,000 feet up.
Modern light aircraft, from Cirruses to Slings, now come equipped with
autopilots sophisticated enough to follow flight plans, hold altitudes, and
even shoot GPS approaches in bad weather. But here's the thing: no matter how clever
the box is, the human pilot must still know how to fly manually and be current and adept at it.
Why? Because tech fails.
Power goes out. Systems get confused. Terrain gets close. Weather throws
tantrums. It’s at these moments, when the autopilot disengages that the aircraft
buffets and the passenger turns green when pilots earn their wings.
Hand-flying is not
obsolete. It’s foundational. And it keeps the pilot sharp even when the
autopilot works flawlessly, like the muscle memory of pulling back at rotation
speed or trimming out on climb. The function of the autopilot is to create a safer, better pilot because it enables him or her to focus on other things like weather, engine performance and importantly, decision-making.
Enter the Lawyer’s AI
Autopilot
Swap propellers for
pleadings, and you’ll find that the same is true for the modern lawyer. Tools
like ChatGPT, Harvey AI, Copilot (love the name), Luminance and their ilk are doing everything from
reviewing contracts to drafting court documents. They're faster than juniors,
don’t need lunch breaks, and can “work” in 100 jurisdictions at once. But much
like autopilot, they aren’t the pilot.
You still need a lawyer
who understands the client’s goals, the court’s quirks, and the broader
context. AI can spot precedent but doesn’t know the judge’s mood or the
client’s unspoken fear. It can’t yet navigate the nuance of African customary
law or the dance of cross-border enforcement on the continent. Like flying, the
lawyer still needs to know how to fly manually, be current at it and adept.
AI enables the lawyer to focus on client needs, people management and importantly, decision making.
Embrace the Autopilot –
But Keep Your Hands Ready
Here’s the kicker: we
should embrace both. Autopilot has made flying safer and more accessible. More
people can fly further, more reliably, with better outcomes. AI promises the
same for law, access to justice, faster resolution, lower costs, better decision-making.
In Africa, this is
not just a convenience, it’s a strategic leap. We’re often not burdened by
legacy systems, and that means we can jump straight to the future. Just
like we leapfrogged landlines with mobile phones, we can leapfrog outdated,
expensive legal systems and empower courts, firms, and clients through AI.
Imagine rural
entrepreneurs getting legal advice in their language, instantly. Imagine
overburdened courts speeding up decisions through automated summarisation.
Imagine firms in Lagos or Lusaka with global reach using tech that was once
only available to magic circle firms.
The African Edge: Smart
Leapfrogging
But only if we fly right.
That means training our lawyers to use AI well and to think critically.
Just as pilots must learn both autopilot and stick-and-rudder flying, lawyers
must master both AI tools and legal fundamentals. It's not enough to press
buttons. You need to know when the AI is wrong, and how to correct it.
And here’s a sceptic’s
objection worth airing: Isn’t AI just another shiny toy for big firms?
Not if we embed it wisely. With open models, mobile-first strategies, and
localised training, AI can be Africa’s legal co-pilot, a force multiplier, not
a margin eater or job taker.
Final Approach: Tech Makes
Us Better, If We Let It
So what’s the takeaway?
Whether you’re climbing
through turbulence over the Karoo or navigating a cross-border licensing
dispute, tech isn’t replacing you, it’s making you better. But only if you keep
your hands on the yoke. Lawyers and pilots must know when to switch off the
autopilot and take control.
In both professions, judgment
matters. Skill matters. Context matters. The best practitioners are those
who use their tools but are never ruled by them.
African lawyers and pilots can compete and beat the best in the world, not despite our
challenges, but because we embraced innovation early, ethically, and
fearlessly.
Now, please stow your tray tables and prepare for landing. The future is on final approach.
Darren Olivier (lawyer by day, pilot by weekend commuting sustainably)
Image cred: By https://adoption.microsoft.com/copilot/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=79572712
