Readiness of the Legal Education System in Indonesia in Facing the Era of Artificial Intelligence

 

Henry Arianto

Universitas Trisakti, West Jakarta, Indonesia

henry.arianto8@gmail.com

 

KEYWORDS

ABSTRACT

Readiness, legal education system, artificial intelligence

Many parties are then worried about the development of artificial intelligence. Facing artificial intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly a challenge for the academic world, as it is difficult to prepare graduates to have abilities that can match artificial intelligence. Therefore, this research will discuss how the legal education system in Indonesia prepares Law Faculty students to be competent with AI in the digital era. This research is limited to the learning system at the Faculty of Law. This is due to the issue that in the future, with the presence of AI, many jobs in the legal field will be replaced by computers. This research also aims to see the readiness of the Law Faculty in preparing Law Faculty students to face the digital era and the presence of AI. This research falls into the criteria for Normative Legal Research using library research methods. It is said to be normative legal research, because the research only looks at the readiness of universities based on existing norms or rules relating to the legal education system. And it is said to be library research because the researcher did not conduct interviews or observations in collecting the data. The writer then analyzed the data obtained using a deductive method, where the researcher looked at general things first and then narrowed them down to specific things. The results and brief discussion show that Indonesia needs to strengthen its legal education system to face the challenges brought by artificial intelligence by taking several steps to change. With these steps of change, the legal education system in Indonesia will be better prepared to face the changes brought about by the era of artificial intelligence.

DOI: 10.58860/ijsh.v3i2.163

 

Corresponding Author: Henry Arianto

Email: henry.arianto8@gmail.com

 

 

INTRODUCTION

Technological advances have supported many human activities, including artificial intelligence (AI), which, when translated into Indonesian, more or less means Artificial Intelligence (Amboro & Komarhana, 2021). Many parties are then worried about the development of artificial intelligence (after this, referred to as AI). This is because the presence of AI is predicted to be able to take over jobs that humans have done. With the development of technology alone, many human jobs have been replaced by machines (Kim et al., 2017). One is a motorway guard machine, better known as a toll road. If, in Indonesia, around the 90s, toll road gates were guarded by humans, who would serve toll road drivers entering and exiting the toll road and making payment transactions, now toll road gates are no longer protected by humans. Transactions now use electronic payments (Roy et al., 2021). Motorists only need to attach the card to the device installed at the toll road entrance or exit to make a payment transaction so that the motorist can enter or exit the toll road.

Daily Mail page on February 26 2018, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has beaten leading lawyers for the first time in a competition to understand legal contracts (Baker, 2018). The algorithm was created by New York and Tel Aviv, Israel-based legal platform LawGeex AI (Lefkowitz et al., 2017). The results of this competition were quite surprising to many groups, such as law professors from Stanford University, Duke University School of Law, and the University of Southern California (Lefkowitz et al., 2017). How stunning, this is because the AI lawyer managed to beat 20 (20) lawyers who already had quite reliable experience in the legal field.

Apart from America, in England, the presence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also been felt by many parties, one of which is among those seeking legal assistance. AI in the UK is used as a provider of legal aid for its people, and statistics record that the presence of this AI has served and provided at least more than 1,000 legal aids and has helped around 160,000 people, and there are many other examples. 

Facing artificial intelligence (AI) is undoubtedly a challenge for the academic world, as it is difficult to prepare graduates to have abilities that can match artificial intelligence (Alam, 2020). Therefore, in this research, researchers will discuss how the legal education system in Indonesia prepares Law Faculty students to be competent with AI in the digital era (Tejomurti & Hermawan, 2022).

This research is motivated by advances in computer technology which have now succeeded in creating artificial intelligence (AI), where it is predicted that many human jobs will be replaced by robots with high AI or computers with high AI. Because the researcher has a law degree background and works as a lecturer at the Faculty of Law, the researcher will only focus his research on the readiness of universities, especially the Faculty of Law, in preparing their students to be ready to compete with artificial intelligence. One of the phenomena that has occurred is the emergence of AI Lawyer or lawyers in the form of Artificial Intelligence, which is a technological advancement in the legal field, where the profession of lawyer or lawyer is replaced by the results of artificial intelligence. In theory, the presence of AI should not really affect legal professions, such as lawyers, prosecutors and judges, because law enforcement not only processes data and determines what is wrong and what is right, but must also pay attention to society's sense of justice. It could be that a thief commits theft because he is hungry and instead of starving to death he steals, and if the loss is not large, the judge could acquit the thief or replace the sentence with social work. It is these things related to a sense of justice that in theory AI does not yet have. However, in practice, many legal fields have replaced AI and it is feared that this will also reduce labor absorption (Estlund, 2018). Therefore, this research asks "How is the readiness of the Law Faculty through its Legal Education System to prepare its students or graduates to face the era of artificial intelligence?"

 

METHOD

In legal research, there are two research methods, namely normative legal research and empirical legal research. Normative legal research examines issues originating from norms, whereas empirical legal research examines issues originating from behavior or behavioral trends so that they are related to empirical situations that occur in society. In this research, the author uses normative legal research because it only examines issues originating from existing norms or rules related to the readiness of universities to prepare students to face the AI era. From the criteria for legal science research, it is divided into library research or often called library research, and field research or also called field research. It is called library research because the type of research is generally qualitative which is usually carried out without going into the field. Data for this research were obtained from written works, including research results that have been published and that have not yet been published. The main data sources come from libraries, such as books, encyclopedias, journals, documents and magazines. The goal is to collect, analyze, and present information from written sources. It is called field research because the research is carried out by going directly into the field or research object area. Data was obtained through observation, interviews, case studies and surveys. The aim is to understand the phenomenon in depth and collect relevant data from the research location. In this research, because the researcher did not conduct observations or interviews, the criteria for this research are included in the criteria for library research. The subjects of this research are universities in Indonesia, in order to prepare their graduates to be ready to compete with computers that have artificial intelligence. This research falls into the criteria for Normative Legal Research using library research methods. It is said to be normative legal research, because the research only looks at the readiness of universities based on existing norms or rules relating to the legal education system. And it is said to be library research because the researcher did not conduct interviews or observations in collecting the data. The writer then analyzed the data obtained using a deductive method, where the researcher looked at general things first and then narrowed them down to specific things.

This research uses document study collection tools to obtain secondary data sourced from legal materials as follows:

a.     Primary legal materials, namely legal materials for statutory regulations and judges' decisions, such as Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Transactions, Law Number 27 of 2022 concerning Protection of Personal Data, and Government Regulation Number 71 of 2019 concerning System Implementation Electronic and Transactions.

b.     Secondary legal materials, namely legal materials that explain primary legal materials, namely legal materials in journals, papers, books and scientific works of experts as listed in the bibliography.

c.     Tertiary legal materials are legal materials that explain primary legal materials and secondary legal materials, including dictionaries, magazines and online daily newspapers.

The data obtained was analyzed qualitatively by analyzing the data not in the form of numbers but rather in-depth interpretation, as is common in normative legal research, namely by providing a description of the research findings in words.

 

RESULT AND DISCUSSION

            Artificial intelligence (AI) continues to be a point of significant attention in the current digital era. In its progress, AI has had significant positive impacts on various aspects, from factories, health, and learning to the Artificial Intelligence (AI) regime, which has changed the landscape of multiple aspects of our lives, including legal education. However, it is essential to remember that although AI can perform many tasks, many aspects of the legal profession still require human expertise (Dervanović, 2018). For example, AI may be unable to handle the nuances and complexities of some legal cases or provide legal advice based on human empathy and understanding (Kasap, 2021).

So, while AI has become a handy tool in the legal profession, it isn't easy to see how AI can completely replace advocates. Advocates have deep knowledge and experience of the law and the legal system and interpersonal skills that machines cannot replicate (Surden, 2014). While AI can help in some aspects of legal work, there are some other aspects that AI cannot replace. For example, only humans are capable of making fair and moral judgments (Dervanović, 2018). Apart from that, there are several disadvantages to using AI in the legal field:

       1.       Until now, no legal regulations specifically discuss AI's position as a legal subject, so AI cannot be equated with humans. Therefore, it cannot act as an advocate.

       2.       Until now, there have still been frequent internet data leaks, so the security of client data using AI is questionable.

       3.       Using AI also raises ethical issues in legal and government decision-making. If the data used is biased or incomplete, then the decisions taken by the AI system will also be limited or incomplete.

       4.       Just like a machine or computer program that can suddenly experience malfunction, error or be hijacked by another irresponsible party, AI can share the same thing (Helbing, 2019).

So, while AI can help in some aspects, there is still much room for humans to play a role in the legal field. AI is not yet something that needs to be worried about for the legal sector, but it still needs to be prepared so that Law Faculty students can be competent with AI in this digital era. In facing this era, the legal education system in Indonesia needs to prepare itself carefully. The following are several things that can be done to prepare the legal education system in Indonesia to face the era of artificial intelligence: (Saragih et al., 2023)

Mastery of Technology and Digital Literacy

Legal education must ensure that students understand technology and digital literacy strongly. Understanding and operating artificial intelligence tools will be an invaluable skill for aspiring legal professionals (O’Leary, 2020).

Digital literacy is a person's ability to understand and use all information accessed via a computer. This includes the wise and practical use of digital technology, such as communication tools, internet networks, and digital media. In an educational and academic context, digital literacy focuses on users' skills in utilizing digital media intelligently, carefully and according to their intended use.

Students must understand how to use AI tools relevant to the legal profession, such as data analysis and document management. Students must be trained using digital tools like word processing software, spreadsheets, and collaboration platforms. This will help them in research, writing, and presentations. Students can also utilize online platforms such as blogs, social media, or discussion forums to share knowledge and write about legal issues. Students can also form communities or forums to share knowledge and experiences about digital literacy. Collaboration with fellow students and lecturers is also essential.

To develop students' abilities, law faculties must also frequently hold training or seminars on digital literacy. This will help students understand basic concepts, ethics, and security when using digital technology. Law schools can also provide access to digital resources such as online libraries, law journals, and legal databases. Students must know how to access and utilize these resources.

Relevant Curriculum

The legal education curriculum needs to be adapted to current developments and the needs of society. The curriculum must be prepared systematically and structured to provide an excellent understanding to students. The legal education system must update its curriculum to include courses relevant to artificial intelligence. This consists of a sense of ethics and responsibility in the use of AI technology, as well as knowledge of the laws governing artificial intelligence (Santoni de Sio & Mecacci, 2021).

Digital literacy must be integrated into the curriculum. Students must understand how to use digital tools effectively, conduct online research, and manage information wisely.

Some examples of courses that need to be delivered at the Faculty of Law so that students are ready to face changes in this digital era include:

       1.       Electronic Systems for Public Services course

In the Electronic Systems for Public Services course, we study various aspects of using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to provide public services, facilitate interaction between government and citizens, and manage administrative processes more efficiently. In this course, students will learn the following things: What is studied in this course includes:

1)     Electronic-Based Government System or Sistem Pemerintahan Berbasis Elektronik (SPBE): SPBE refers to using ICT in public services. The aim is to realize clean, effective, transparent, accountable, quality and trustworthy governance.

2)     Regulations and Laws: We understand the regulations and laws that regulate the use of technology in public services, including the Presidential Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 95 of 2018 concerning SPBE.

3)     Implementation of SPBE includes the use of the Employee Information System or Sistem Informasi Pegawai (SIMPEG) for managing personnel data, including employee data collection.

 

 

       2.       Electronic Commerce Law course

The Electronic Commerce Law course studies various aspects of trading via electronic systems. The following are some essential points discussed in this course:

1)     Definition of Trading via Electronic Systems or Perdagangan Melalui Sistem Elektronik (PMSE): PMSE is trading where transactions are carried out through electronic devices and procedures.

2)     Regulations and Laws: We understand the regulations and laws governing electronic transactions, including Law Number 7 of 2014 concerning Trade and Law Number 19 of 2017 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions.

3)     Consumer Protection: How the law protects consumers in electronic transactions, including their rights and the responsibilities of business actors.

       3.       Privacy Protection and Personal Data course

The Privacy and Personal Data Protection course discusses relevant issues related to collecting, processing and protecting personal data. The following are some of the topics generally studied in this course:

1)     Understanding Personal Data, where students are expected to understand the concept of personal data and how this data relates to individual privacy. Definition of personal data and classification by data type (e.g. identity, health, financial).

2)     Personal Data Protection Regulations, where students are expected to know about the legal regulations governing personal data protection in various jurisdictions.

3)     Rights and Obligations Regarding Personal Data: students are expected to understand individual rights regarding personal data, such as accessing, correcting, and deleting data.

These courses aim to prepare students to understand the legal complexities of information and communication technology and face the challenges that arise in the increasingly advanced digital era.

Lecturer and Teaching Training

Lecturers and instructors at law universities must be given training regarding using AI technology in the learning process. They must also understand how to integrate artificial intelligence concepts into teaching materials (Tedre et al., 2021). In addition, law universities must encourage research and development in artificial intelligence. This involves collaboration with industry, government, and research institutions to develop legal solutions relevant to developments in AI technology. Training lecturers and instructors are crucial to preparing Indonesia's legal education system to face the era of artificial intelligence. What can be done includes:

1)     Lecturers must update lecture materials with ethical and legal values relevant to artificial intelligence. Nuance all legal material to better touch the essence of legal education.

2)     Using complex, real-world methods to trigger learning, such as problems relevant to artificial intelligence. Lecturers can introduce students to the ethical issues and legal challenges that arise in the use of AI technology

With the proper training, lecturers and instructors will be better prepared to face change and prepare students to meet the era of artificial intelligence.

Carry out collaboration and cooperation both domestically and abroad

Collaboration between the business world and the industrial world with universities and government and private institutions, both domestically and abroad, can help improve the quality of legal education in Indonesia (Shaturaev, 2021). Apart from that, the legal education system in Indonesia must be open to international cooperation in facing the era of artificial intelligence (Saragih et al., 2023). Exchange of knowledge and experience with law universities in other countries will enrich the perspectives and broaden students' horizons at the Faculty of Law (Rizvi, 2015).

The following are several forms of collaboration and cooperation that can be carried out domestically and abroad to prepare the legal education system in Indonesia to face the digital era:

1)     Collaboration between the Faculty of Law and the Technology Industry. Law Schools can collaborate with technology companies developing AI. This allows law students to understand the practical applications of AI in law and gain insight into relevant ethics and regulations.

2)     Collaboration with Research Institutes and AI Study Centers. The Faculty of Law can collaborate with research institutions and AI study centres. This enables knowledge exchange, joint research, and development of AI-relevant curricula.

3)     International Collaboration. Collaboration with law faculties abroad can enrich perspectives and expand networks. The exchange of lecturers and students and joint research can strengthen the legal education system in Indonesia.

4)     Collaboration with Legal Practitioners. Involving legal practitioners experienced in AI can provide students with practical insights and actual cases.

With good collaboration, the legal education system in Indonesia can be better prepared to face the challenges and opportunities brought by the era of artificial intelligence.

Ethics and Responsibility

Lastly, what is no less important for universities in preparing graduates from the Faculty of Law is the importance of ethics and responsibility in using artificial intelligence (Basheer, 2023). Students need to understand the ethical implications of using this technology, including privacy and accountability issues (Regan & Jesse, 2019). Because it is not uncommon for technology not accompanied by ethics to result in the use of technology breaking the law, technological advances not accompanied by ethics can result in significant adverse impacts. Here are some things that might happen:

1)     Misuse of Personal Information. With the increasing use of personal information in the digital world, the risk of misuse of individual data increases. If this information falls into the wrong hands, it could result in identity theft, fraud, or invasion of privacy.

2)     Hoaxes and Misinformation. Easy internet access allows information to spread quickly. However, if the information disseminated needs to be verified and validated, hoaxes and misinformation can cause societal chaos.

3)     Technology Addiction. Dependence on technology can reduce direct social interaction. Addiction to social media and online gaming can disrupt life balance and mental well-being.

4)     Spread of Computer Viruses. With good ethics in technology development, cyber security can be protected. The spread of computer viruses and cyber-attacks can damage systems and disrupt daily activities.

5)     Loss of Moral Values. Technological progress that is not balanced with ethics can result in the loss of moral values and nationalism. The younger generation needs to understand the importance of ethics in the use of technology so that the nation's future is maintained.

Therefore, all of us need to pay attention to ethics in the use of technology so that negative impacts can be minimized and technological advances can provide better benefits for society. Don't let Law Faculty students break the law with the technical abilities they master.

In conclusion, the readiness of the legal education system in Indonesia to face the era of artificial intelligence requires a holistic approach (Saragih et al., 2023). By strengthening digital literacy, integrating artificial intelligence concepts in the curriculum, and ensuring ethics and responsibility, we can prepare aspiring legal professionals to face future challenges with high levels of confidence and competence. The presence of Artificial Intelligence does not need to be considered a threat, but Artificial Intelligence provides an opportunity to speed up the work of the legal profession.

In theory, if universities have made preparations as described above, then in practice the students or graduates of the Faculty of Law will be ready to face challenges in the legal field in the future, even though they are competing with computers with high AI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

To address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, Indonesia must fortify its legal education system by integrating technology into the curriculum, enhancing training on AI for both lecturers and students, improving digital literacy, developing AI-focused curricula, fostering collaborations with technology firms and legal practitioners, and promoting ethical technology use, with the aim of better preparing the system to confront the transformations brought about by the era of artificial intelligence. In theory, if universities have made preparations as described above, then in practice the students or graduates of the Faculty of Law will be ready to face challenges in the legal field in the future, even though they are competing with computers with high AI.

 

REFERENCES

Alam, A. (2020). Possibilities and challenges of compounding artificial intelligence in India’s educational landscape. Alam, A.(2020). Possibilities and Challenges of Compounding Artificial Intelligence in India’s Educational Landscape. International Journal of Advanced Science and Technology, 29(5), 5077–5094.

Amboro, F. L. Y. P., & Komarhana, K. (2021). Prospek Kecerdasan Buatan Sebagai Subjek Hukum Perdata Di Indonesia. Law Review, 21(2), 145–172.

Baker, J. J. (2018). 2018: a legal research odyssey: artificial intelligence as disruptor. Law Libr. J., 110, 5.

Basheer, H. (2023). Artificial Intelligence and Robotics Towards the Evolution of Sustainable Graduate Employability Ecosystem: A Contemporary Perspective for Higher Education Stakeholders in the UAE. Doctoral dissertation, University of Bath). https://ethos. bl. uk ….

Dervanović, D. (2018). I, inhuman lawyer: developing artificial intelligence in the legal profession. Robotics, AI and the Future of Law, 209–234.

Estlund, C. (2018). What should we do after work? Automation and employment law. The Yale Law Journal, 254–326.

Helbing, D. (2019). Societal, economic, ethical and legal challenges of the digital revolution: from big data to deep learning, artificial intelligence, and manipulative technologies. Springer.

Kasap, G. H. (2021). Can Artificial Intelligence (“ AI”) Replace Human Arbitrators? Technological Concerns and Legal Implications. J. Disp. Resol., 209.

Kim, Y. J., Kim, K., & Lee, S. (2017). The rise of technological unemployment and its implications on the future macroeconomic landscape. Futures, 87, 1–9.

Lefkowitz, A., Mui, S., Rynkiewicz, S., & Tashea, J. (2017). 34 I Welcome to the Web 1oo! ABA JOURNAL.

Lefkowitz, A., Mui, S., Rynkiewicz, S., & Tashea, J. (2017). Welcome To The Web 100 2017 ABA JOURNAL. ABA Journal, 103(12), 34–45.

O’Leary, D. L. (2020). “ Smart” Lawyering: Integrating Technology Competence into the Legal Practice Curriculum. UNHL Rev., 19, 197.

Regan, P. M., & Jesse, J. (2019). Ethical challenges of edtech, big data and personalized learning: Twenty-first century student sorting and tracking. Ethics and Information Technology, 21, 167–179.

Rizvi, F. (2015). Internationalization of curriculum: A critical perspective. The Sage Handbook of Research in International Education, 337–350.

Roy, J., Rochaida, E., Suharto, R. B., & Rizkiawan, R. (2021). Digital and electronic transactions against velocity of money. Corporate Governance and Organizational Behavior Review, 5(2), 145–155.

Santoni de Sio, F., & Mecacci, G. (2021). Four responsibility gaps with artificial intelligence: Why they matter and how to address them. Philosophy & Technology, 34(4), 1057–1084.

Saragih, A. H., Reyhani, Q., Setyowati, M. S., & Hendrawan, A. (2023). The potential of an artificial intelligence (AI) application for the tax administration system’s modernization: the case of Indonesia. Artificial Intelligence and Law, 31(3), 491–514.

Shaturaev, J. (2021). indonesia: superior policies and management for better education (Community development through Education). Архив Научных Исследований, 1(1).

Surden, H. (2014). Machine learning and law. Wash. L. Rev., 89, 87.

Tedre, M., Toivonen, T., Kahila, J., Vartiainen, H., Valtonen, T., Jormanainen, I., & Pears, A. (2021). Teaching machine learning in K–12 classroom: Pedagogical and technological trajectories for artificial intelligence education. IEEE Access, 9, 110558–110572.

Tejomurti, K., & Hermawan, S. (2022). The Effect Of Technological Disruption On The ASEAN Economic Community: An Regulatory Analysis Of Legal Education In Indonesia. Acta Law Journal, 1(1), 16–25.

       

 

© 2023 by the authors. It was submitted for possible open-access publication under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY SA) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).