In November of 2022, ChatGPT upended our thinking about artificial intelligence with a new form of machine learning called Generative AI (GenAI). Since then, discussions about GenAI models like GPT have taken center stage in nearly every field, especially in the legal profession. Today, most legal publications feature articles about how GenAI will change the legal profession, and vendors at legal conferences tout their GenAI powered software.

This Guide introduces Generative AI for Smart Discovery and Investigation Professionals. It is designed for the smart individuals in our profession who want to learn the basics of how GenAI models like GPT work and how they can improve discovery workflow. While the underlying algorithms may be complex, we can learn enough about their function to put them to use in our practices.