Why the next competitive advantage in the AI era is partnership, not just technology

The interview with Tony Muljadi highlights how law firms have moved from experimenting with AI to expecting reliable, integrated solutions. The key differentiators are context (firm‑specific and provider content), harness (engineering that tailors output to lawyers’ workflows), and operationalization (making AI easy to use and adopt). Trust in authoritative legal content and seamless workflow integration are essential because legal work carries high asymmetric risk; inaccurate AI output can have serious consequences. A genuine strategic partnership now involves shared problem‑solving, cross‑functional teams that include legal engineers, software developers, and customer‑success experts, rather than a simple vendor‑customer relationship. Legal engineers bridge legal expertise and technical know‑how, adding value by automating high‑friction workflows, customizing generic AI skills, and scaling successful practices across the firm. Firms should ask partners about their operating model, lifecycle support, technology stack, and success metrics—focusing on correctness, client satisfaction, higher‑value work, and reduced write‑offs rather than just time saved. The biggest future gap will be between firms that can adapt organizationally, embed their unique knowledge into AI, and potentially reshape their business models, and those that lag. Strong, continuously learning partnerships will empower firms by delivering ongoing value, mutual learning, and the ability to scale innovations across the legal industry.

(Source：Aba Journal)