Document Type

Article

Publication Date

4-16-2026

Keywords

hallucinations, artificial intelligence, AI, prompt engineering

Abstract

In The Matrix, Neo’s choice between the blue pill and the red pill is essentially a choice between a comfortable illusion and an unsettling reality. Lawyers now face a similar decision with artificial intelligence. They can take the blue pill: ignore artificial intelligence or treat it like just another search engine, continuing a comfortable illusion that the new technology may not transform the practice of law. Or lawyers can take the red pill: acknowledge that artificial intelligence will transform the practice of law and learn how to use it competently, ethically, and effectively.

This Article is for those who choose the red pill. It begins with the problem of hallucinations, which makes blind reliance on artificial intelligence a professional hazard, and then turns to the first step in using artificial intelligence productively: understanding how it differs from Googling. When artificial intelligence is approached as a role-playing collaborator, such as a litigator, contract drafter, or judge, lawyers can enhance the accuracy, tone, and usefulness of the responses it provides.

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