When you are not the first: The era of "Automatic Smart Templates" is already here

When you are not the first: The era of “Automatic Smart Templates” is already here

Bold claims in the world of Legal Tech are nothing new. However, when a company announces the imminent launch of the “world’s first” product – a product that has been successfully operating in the market for years – it’s more than just marketing. It’s a call for a serious discussion about what truly constitutes innovation and what is merely catching up. 

We recently saw an announcement from Genie AI, which promises the “world’s first automatic Smart Template generator” launching in December. The goal is commendable: to relieve legal and commercial teams from the tedious manual creation of forms and document entry. 

Genie AI promises that users will be able to upload any template, and the system will automatically: 

1. Identify the variables. 

2. Build a dynamic questionnaire. 

3. Update each input in real-time. 

Sounds like a breakthrough, right? 

“World’s First”? Sorry, You’re Late. 

You might as well announce the launch of the “world’s first electric car” in 2025. 

The fact is, the concept of automated document creation based on Smart Templates and interactive questionnaires is no longer the future – it is a successfully operating present. 

For instance, our company, AdminTech, has been utilizing this technology for quite some time in our “AI for Business” solution. We automate contracts for Swiss SMEs with the help of our AI Lawyer – Amy. 

Here is how it works: 

1. Goodbye, Form; Hello, Dialogue: Instead of manually filling out dozens of fields in a complex form, the user simply chats with Amy. The AI asks the right questions, clarifies complex details, and translates legal complexities into plain language. This is precisely the “dynamic questionnaire” that Genie AI is presenting as the future. 

2. Smart Templates at the Core: We don’t generate legal text from scratch. We use meticulously developed and lawyer-vetted “Smart Templates” – modular, expert frameworks that contain all legally correct and possible clauses. The AI, based on the client’s answers, simply selects and combines the appropriate pre-approved blocks. 

3. Proven Effectiveness: Our solution has long passed the “announcement” stage and is fully operational. We have already delivered a 76% reduction in contract preparation time for our clients and supported the creation of over 6,000 documents without the need for an in-house lawyer. 

What is the Difference Between “First” and “Functional”? 

Genie AI’s claim that they automatically generate Smart Templates from any uploaded document appears to be an attempt to shift the focus from real value to a specific technological feature. 

Let’s look at the critical aspect of legal automation: 

While Genie AI may have focused on the impressive task of automatically generating the template, we focused on the most critical task – ensuring legal compliance and practical utility. 

Before Claiming a ‘World’s First,’ Let’s Talk Facts 

“The world’s first automatic template generator” is a great headline, but let’s not forget that Smart Templates (both as a concept and a realized product) already exist and provide tangible value to businesses. 

The real question for the Legal Tech market is: 

What is more important for a business – to be the first to generate a form, or to be the first to guarantee its legal reliability and prove it with thousands of successfully executed documents? 

We gladly observe the market’s evolution but allow us to correct the record: the era of automatic Smart Templates has already arrived. And it’s already here, at AdminTech.