How Legal AI Challenges Can Guide Marketers in the Age of AI

As a marketer, it may seem a bit out of character for me to draw parallels between the legal sector and marketing, particularly when adopting artificial intelligence (AI). However, as I have examined the challenges both industries face with AI, I have discovered some surprising similarities. From navigating intellectual property issues to developing governance frameworks, legal and marketing leaders share more common ground than we might expect when effectively leveraging AI.

1. Intellectual Property: A Shared Challenge

One of the most significant issues for legal and marketing teams is managing intellectual property (IP) when using AI. In the legal world, the challenge lies in ensuring AI systems don't infringe on existing IP, particularly when generating or analysing documents. Marketing teams face similar concerns, especially when using AI to create content. Generative AI tools can produce blog posts, social media copy, or even design concepts—but with a risk of unintentionally pulling from copyrighted material.

Both industries must prioritise developing AI governance frameworks to mitigate these risks. For marketing leaders, this means implementing checks and protocols that ensure AI-generated content is original and compliant with IP laws, protecting the brand and its reputation.

2. Transparency and Governance: Learning from Legal Caution

AI adoption has been slow in the legal sector, largely due to a need for structured governance. Many law firms are only now setting up formal guidelines on how AI should be used, what data it can process, and how to ensure it aligns with ethical standards. While this cautious approach has slowed implementation, it offers a valuable lesson for marketing leaders eager to embrace AI's potential.

Adopting similar governance principles can help CMOs balance innovation with responsibility. Establishing clear policies on AI usage, data privacy, and human oversight ensures that AI tools are aligned with company values and customer expectations. It's about creating a roadmap for AI adoption that respects ethical considerations and integrates transparency at every stage.

3. Ethics and Bias: An Issue That Knows No Industry Boundaries

Bias in AI is a challenge that transcends industries. In legal applications, biased algorithms can influence case outcomes or perpetuate systemic inequalities. In marketing, biases in customer segmentation models can lead to targeting errors, skewed messaging, and unintentional exclusion of specific audiences.

Both legal and marketing leaders must prioritise understanding and mitigating bias in AI models. For legal teams, this might mean increasing transparency in AI decision-making processes. For marketers, it requires using diverse datasets and auditing AI outputs regularly to ensure fairness. Investing in ethical AI training for teams can also play a crucial role in maintaining brand integrity and trust.

4. Rethinking Incentives: From Billable Hours to ROI

Legal professionals and marketers face a similar challenge when aligning AI with traditional business models. Law firms operating on a billable hour model struggle with using AI to automate tasks that traditionally fill those hours. In marketing, ROI has always been king, and the question becomes how to measure the value of AI when it automates parts of the creative and analytical process.

Both sectors are experimenting with new models. Law firms are considering hybrid pricing models emphasising value over time spent, while marketing teams are redefining ROI metrics to reflect AI's contribution to customer insights, engagement, and efficiency. Leaders must embrace these evolving metrics to ensure that AI's value is fully recognised and rewarded.

Knowing where to hit with the hammer is the crucial element here.

5. Embracing AI as a Strategic Partner

AI is more than a tool—it's a strategic partner that can reshape how both legal and marketing teams operate. AI can streamline research and automate routine tasks for law firms, freeing lawyers to focus on complex, high-value client work. For marketing, AI enables more personalised outreach, deeper customer insights, and optimised campaign strategies.

Leaders in both fields should share insights and learn from each other's challenges and successes to fully harness AI's potential. Legal's structured approach to AI governance can inspire marketing teams to think more critically about their AI strategies. Meanwhile, marketing's willingness to experiment can push legal teams to explore new AI applications, striking a balance between innovation and caution.

6. Building a Responsible AI Future

The path forward for both professions involves building a culture of responsible AI usage. By drawing on each other's strengths—whether that's legal's rigorous approach to ethics or marketing's focus on customer-centric innovation—we can create a balanced approach to AI that enhances human capabilities and respects the complexities of our industries.

For CMOs, that means setting up governance frameworks, investing in team-wide AI literacy, and aligning AI strategies with customer trust and brand values. It means embracing AI as a strategic asset for legal teams while maintaining the standards clients expect. Ultimately, the key is ensuring that AI adoption is not just about speed but building trust, enhancing creativity, and delivering value across the board.

Conclusion: Bridging Worlds for a Better Future

The legal sector's approach to AI provides valuable insights for marketing leaders. By observing the legal industry's careful and strategic adoption of AI, marketers can create a more effective and responsible integration of this technology. As AI continues to transform our industries, we should learn from each other and apply those lessons to create a future where AI is not merely a disruptor, but a genuine catalyst for innovation and growth.