In the latest episode of The Inside View with Legal IT Insider, Elliot White from Addleshaw Goddard joins editor Caroline Hill for a candid discussion about what the firm has learned from building its own GenAI platform AGPT, and why the next phase of AI may see law firms rethink some of their assumptions.
White is director of innovation and legal technology at Addleshaw Goddard and has been involved from the outset in the international law firm’s GenAI pilots and the build of AGPT, which is hosted in its Microsoft Azure tenancy.
There are lots of conversations right now about buy v build within law firms, but few have got as much experience already as Addleshaw Goddard. White explains that AGPT was never primarily about creating a proprietary tool; it was about learning quickly, understanding the technology, and helping lawyers develop the skills needed to work effectively with AI. He says the result has been strong adoption and a much deeper understanding of how lawyers actually use generative AI in practice.
What makes this podcast particularly timely is White’s honest assessment of where the market is heading. While Addleshaw Goddard continues to invest in AGPT, the emergence of agentic workflows is creating new challenges. White discusses the difficulty of keeping pace with rapidly evolving AI capabilities and raises important questions about the extent to which law firms should be focusing on building their own solutions.
The discussion also provides a thoughtful exploration on topics including token-based pricing. As suppliers increasingly move towards consumption models, White argues that law firms will need to become significantly more sophisticated about using the right model for the right task and understanding the true cost of AI-enabled work.
Another interesting discussion is around knowledge portability. White argues that firms should think carefully about where and how they codify their knowledge, so it remains portable as technology platforms evolve.
For law firm leaders, innovation teams and anyone trying to navigate the fast-changing legal AI landscape, this episode offers a great combination of practical experience and strategic thinking. Definitely one to watch.
You can watch the episode on YouTube below or listen on Spotify HERE.
