Why I Write This
Hi there! I’m Tosi Adegbija, a computer engineering professor with over a decade of research experience. I love explaining technical concepts in simple terms to non-technical audiences. I have had the pleasure of explaining emerging technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to diverse groups (both individuals and organizations) through informal conversations, keynote talks, and consulting on technical strategy, helping them understand how to engage with these technologies. One of my particular focuses is on privacy and its intrinsic link with ROI in AI deployments—a topic that carries obvious significance for the legal profession.
Over the past few years, I’ve developed a deep interest in the legal field. I have an innate interest and intuition about the impact of law on society. Given my personality, I suspect I would have become a lawyer if I hadn’t become a professor—I love to challenge ideas, find holes in arguments, and have my own ideas challenged in return. I ask a lot of questions, and believe that asking the right ones is the path to transformation.
With the advent of AI and the hype surrounding it, the legal field is one of those where not understanding what AI is, or not being able to separate hype from reality, can be devastating to a practice through reputational and professional damage. On the other hand, when effectively utilized, AI can be a powerful tool to improve your productivity and make your practice more efficient.
I write about AI and the legal field from the perspective of an engineer and researcher who’s trying to help lawyers engage more effectively with these technologies. If, by reading my writing, you become more pragmatic about AI’s capabilities and never again submit a legal brief generated by ChatGPT without carefully proofreading it and validating all its references, I would consider that a win.
My perspective is shaped by over a decade of research, including a particular focus on uncompromising privacy in AI deployments, conversations with lawyers and legal experts, and hands-on experience building AI-based tools and systems, and some of my conclusions may challenge conventional wisdom. That said, this blog is an avenue for me to share ideas that are still forming, opinions that may be half-baked, and thoughts that haven’t undergone peer review. Some of what I write here is underpinned or inspired by my peer-reviewed research, but much of it is me thinking out loud. I hope you’ll find that refreshing—and useful.
If you have any thoughts on what I write or would like to engage further, please feel free to send an email to tosi@tosibriefs.com.