A recent study evaluated how well four leading AI (Artificial Intelligence) platforms responded to 46 common estate planning questions, as reported in a recent article from The Wealth Advisor, “Understanding Opportunities And Risks That Come With Using AI Tools.” These weren’t hypothetical abstract concepts. They were practical questions commonly fielded by estate planning clients. The results were inconsistent, and in the most widely used AI, ChatGPT, the system failed 61% of the time before stopping at question 19, then shutting down without answering any of the remaining 28 questions.
Conducting research online without the guidance of a trained physician is how many people incorrectly self-diagnose themselves. The same is true of estate planning. Estate planning attorneys today often find themselves educating clients who arrive at a consultation with AI-generated documents containing nonsensical provisions and clauses. Trying to use an AI-generated estate plan could lead to an estate disaster.
Part of an estate planning attorney’s work is educating clients about the documents and tools that are best suited for their unique situation. They are also knowledgeable about the state and federal laws governing estate planning, including how to distribute pensions, when a Power of Attorney may be used to make a charitable donation and when it cannot.
Even when AI delivers a complete answer, it often misses the specific context that is so important to estate planning. Two families may consider the use of a revocable trust, but the best solution will differ significantly depending on state laws, tax considerations, family dynamics and long-term goals.
AI cannot replace the judgment arising from years of experience and personal knowledge that an estate attorney brings to the estate planning process.
There are some ways that AI can be helpful when preparing to meet with an estate planning attorney. For instance, one might use a platform like Claude or Perplexity to gain a basic understanding of estate planning concepts or generate helpful questions. Drawing from their knowledge and experience, the estate planning attorney can then explore the nuances and state-specific laws with the family to determine the optimal strategies and tools to use.
An experienced estate planning attorney encourages questions and welcomes discussion. Using AI to initiate the process and sharing the results of your search can be helpful, if you understand AI as an exploratory research tool rather than a definitive source.
Contact us today to determine if your estate plan needs to be updated.
Reference: Wealth Advisor (September 23, 2025) “Understanding Opportunities And Risks That Come With Using AI Tools”