Artificial intelligence is entering China’s legal profession at a rapid pace, with a major legal database affiliated with Peking University launching a large language model tool designed to retrieve statutes, analyse cases and generate contracts, according to the South China Morning Post.
The introduction of Chinalawinfo PKULaw’s new AI service has drawn attention across the legal sector as lawyers assess how advanced technology will affect traditional legal work. The tool uses a Model Context Protocol (MCP) interface developed by Anthropic in 2024, allowing large language models to connect directly with authoritative legal resources.
According to Chinalawinfo PKULaw, the system can search legal materials, verify updated regulations, draft contracts and identify similar cases using a database containing laws, court rulings, academic research and case records. The company said the technology was designed to make AI-generated legal assistance more transparent by linking responses to verified sources.
However, the expansion of AI into legal services has raised concerns about accuracy. Generative AI systems can produce convincing documents while also creating false legal references, fabricated precedents and inaccurate interpretations if they operate without proper oversight.
Zhang Xian, deputy general manager of Chinalawinfo PKULaw, said the technology was intended to support lawyers rather than replace them. Speaking last week, Zhang said legal assistants, junior lawyers, legal specialists, legal researchers and employees responsible for document organisation and preliminary drafting were likely to feel the earliest impact.
“While AI improves the efficiency of basic information processing, it cannot replace legal professionals’ judgment, accountability or client communication,” Zhang said. He added that the future direction would involve cooperation between human lawyers and AI systems, allowing professionals to focus on more complex decisions and higher-value services.
The technology has also attracted interest from large companies, where legal teams often handle repetitive and large-scale tasks. In one case study cited by Chinalawinfo PKULaw, corporate legal staff used AI integrated into office software to process complaints, analyse claims and legal grounds, and prepare documents without requiring programming skills.
Zhang said the company’s legal intelligent search MCP service had already partnered with Tencent and Alibaba. Alibaba owns the South China Morning Post.
Despite the growing adoption of AI tools, legal professionals interviewed by the South China Morning Post said the technology was unlikely to fully replace experienced lawyers in the near term. A Beijing-based corporate legal officer said effective use of AI still required professional knowledge because users needed to translate legal reasoning into instructions that the system could execute.
“The skill threshold for fine-tuning AI assistance remains high,” the lawyer said, adding that users without legal experience would only receive basic drafts when requesting documents without detailed guidance.
The lawyer said junior employees who traditionally handled routine paperwork could face greater pressure as AI systems become more capable. She added that the legal industry had become less welcoming to inexperienced newcomers, with some graduates choosing alternative career paths.
A sole practitioner in the northwestern city of Xian said she had previously avoided using general AI tools for legal research because they often generated false statutes. Instead, she relied on professional databases for verification. She said a reliable AI system capable of handling paperwork could significantly improve efficiency, although human coordination remained important in many ordinary civil cases.
Zhang said Chinalawinfo PKULaw’s technology aimed to reduce AI errors through evidence-based systems, database updates and verification processes. He said AI would change how legal services were produced but would not replace core professional responsibilities, including complex judgment, strategic decision-making, communication with clients and legal accountability.
Meanwhile, AI-driven technological competition is also expanding in China’s semiconductor sector. US chipmaker Micron Technology reported stronger-than-expected quarterly results and positive guidance while acknowledging the growing capabilities and market presence of China’s leading memory chip manufacturers.
During an earnings call, Micron chief business officer Sumit Sadana said Chinese companies ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) and Yangtze Memory Technologies Corp (YMTC) had increased their capabilities and market share over the years, although the majority of their production remained within China.
The comments highlighted the expanding role of Chinese technology companies as artificial intelligence investment reshapes industries, from legal services to semiconductor manufacturing.
