Trade-Offs in Deploying Legal AI: Insights from a Public Opinion Study to Guide AI Risk Management

A new study of 488 German citizens reveals critical public concerns about using generative AI for legal consultation and mediation. The research systematically maps risks and benefits, finding current EU risk management prioritizes expert judgment without consulting affected communities. This creates a legitimacy gap, as public perceptions of AI risks and trade-offs differ significantly from regulatory classifications, especially for non-high-risk use cases like citizen legal aid.