Gilbert + Tobin recorded active ChatGPT usage of 87% among employees enabled to use it, OpenAI said in an interview with the Australian law firm's chief executive published Nov. 12.
That was more than twice the firm's typical usage rate for other tools, OpenAI said in “Gilbert + Tobin rethinks the business of law with AI”. OpenAI, which supplies the firm's AI tools, gave no measurement period or number of enabled users.
Sam Nickless, partner and chief executive officer at Gilbert + Tobin, said the benefits so far came from giving employees more time with clients and colleagues. He said reducing costs or employing fewer people had not been the main source of value.
The firm wanted AI to improve client services, make it a better workplace and strengthen its market position, Nickless said. He said the technology could give employees more time to coach teams and mentor future leaders.
Nickless said the firm initially encouraged employees to experiment with ChatGPT while prohibiting them from entering client data or confidential information. It later introduced ChatGPT Enterprise, citing Australian data residency, contractual protections, access restrictions and administrative controls as reasons it could expand use.
Employees still had to define tasks, check the results and take responsibility for finished work, Nickless said. The firm subsequently introduced ChatGPT Work and Codex to support tasks involving several steps, with people retaining responsibility for review and approval.
The firm set no mandatory usage targets, Nickless said. Its business transformation team demonstrated tasks suited to different functions, while videos, showcases, challenges and an early reward scheme encouraged employees to contribute ideas.
Nickless said he built a customised version of ChatGPT using samples of his writing, feedback he had received and information about the firm. He later shared it with direct reports so they could test ideas against his working style before meeting him.
The tool did not make decisions or speak on his behalf, Nickless said. He said it helped his team prepare for discussions by giving them access to feedback reflecting his context and preferences.
Nickless said he also used ChatGPT Work for a confidential annual review involving the firm's 120 partners. He asked it to update files from spreadsheet data, create PDFs and package the completed material, work he said it finished in minutes.
The usage dashboard showed a cost of about $62 for that task, Nickless said, without specifying the currency. He said the work would otherwise have required several people over multiple days.
Nickless said other chief executives should use AI themselves, learn its limitations and give teams practical examples alongside clear rules. People must remain responsible for results, he said, while AI can increase the quality and volume of work and free time for more complex tasks.
