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AI in eDiscovery: A survey-based analysis of challenges and solutions for emerging Europe 

The ComplexDiscovery Summer 2023 Business Confidence Survey, which garnered responses from 71 professionals, provides a comprehensive lens to view the challenges facing professionals in eDiscovery, cybersecurity, and information governance.

This article leverages these findings to explore the transformative role of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing these challenges. The focus is on emerging Europe, a region keenly focused on technological advancement and innovation. 

AI in eDiscovery: The current landscape 

The thirty-first quarterly Business Confidence Survey from ComplexDiscovery illuminates the pressing challenges eDiscovery professionals face, such as budgetary constraints, increasing data volumes, and data security. These challenges are particularly relevant for emerging Europe, a region at the forefront of technological innovation.

AI offers a promising pathway to address these issues effectively, and its applications extend beyond eDiscovery into cybersecurity and information governance. 

Potential AI applications in eDiscovery 

The survey results provide a granular view of the challenges at hand, ordered by the percentage of respondents who view them as significant. The most pressing concern, as indicated by 36.60% of respondents, is the increasing types of data. AI-based text analytics and automated image recognition can help manage the diversity of data types, offering a robust solution to this challenge. This concern naturally leads us to the next significant issue: budgetary constraints. 

Budgetary constraints are viewed as a significant impact on business by 19.70 per cent of respondents. AI-driven cost estimation and real-time budget tracking can serve as effective AI augmentations, helping organisations in emerging Europe manage their financial resources more efficiently. The focus on budgetary constraints segues into another critical challenge: the increasing volumes of data. 

A total of 18.30 per cent of survey respondents expressed concern about the increasing volumes of data they have to manage. AI-powered data deduplication and automated data sorting can significantly reduce the workload associated with managing large datasets. These AI augmentations are not only beneficial for eDiscovery but also have applications in cybersecurity and information governance, particularly in data classification and threat detection. 

The lack of qualified personnel is a concern for 11.30 per cent of respondents. AI-based skill assessment and automated onboarding processes can help address these personnel challenges, which are common in emerging Europe due to its rapidly expanding technological landscape. The issue of personnel brings us to the next challenge identified by the survey: data security. 

Data security is a significant concern for 9.90 per cent of respondents. AI-driven encryption and real-time security alerts can enhance data security measures, a critical need for organisations in emerging Europe that are subject to various data protection regulations. The importance of data security serves as a segue into the final challenge identified by the survey: inadequate technology. 

A smaller but still significant 4.20 per cent of respondents expressed concerns about inadequate technology. AI-driven technology assessment and automated software updates can serve as effective AI augmentations, helping organisations in emerging Europe keep pace with technological advancements. 

Aligning challenges with solutions 

The survey results indicate that increasing types of data are a growing concern, with 36.60 per cent of respondents viewing it as a significant impact on their business. Budgetary constraints and increasing data volumes follow closely. These concerns are not just limited to eDiscovery but extend into the broader areas of cybersecurity and information governance. Given its rapid technological growth, this extension of concerns makes the insights particularly relevant to Emerging Europe.  

By aligning the challenges identified in the ComplexDiscovery Summer 2023 Business Confidence Survey with AI-driven solutions, organisations in emerging Europe have the opportunity to enhance efficiency, improve data security, and maintain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving landscape with a reasoned, rational, and responsive application of AI. 


Read the complete article at A Reasonable Need for Intentional Offerings: Considering AI in eDiscovery Through the Lens of Business Impact Challenges (complexdiscovery.com) 

For those interested in delving deeper into this subject, the Fall 2023 ComplexDiscovery Business Confidence Survey is now available at LLMs and GAI: Catalysts or Constraints? The Fall 2023 eDiscovery Business Confidence Survey (complexdiscovery.com), offering professionals an opportunity to share insights into the evolving landscape of technology solutions. 


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