Don't just teach AI, use it

What happens when lawyers spend a day building AI instead of learning about it? Joining Charmian Aw and Leo von Gerlach, Arne Thiermann and Daniel Mattig discuss the Hamburg AI Negotiation Challenge, an office-wide initiative that brought lawyers together to create AI-powered solutions for one of the most fundamental aspects of legal practice: negotiation. The conversation explores why negotiation proved to be the perfect testing ground for AI adoption, how teams combined legal expertise with emerging technology skills, and why the most effective solutions went beyond efficiency to rethink how lawyers prepare, train, and make decisions. Just as importantly, Daniel and Arne discuss a principle that guided the challenge from the outset: AI can enhance judgment, but it should never replace it. Along the way, they share lessons for any organization looking to turn curiosity into capability. From experimentation and collaboration to practical problem-solving, the challenge demonstrated that AI fluency is not built through presentations or theory alone. It develops when people are given the opportunity to work with the technology on real-world challenges together. *About the Hamburg AI Negotiation Challenge:* The Hamburg AI Negotiation Challenge brought together lawyers from across the office to develop practical AI solutions for negotiation and client work. Combining principles from the Harvard Negotiation Program with hands-on experimentation, participants designed and tested AI-powered tools to support preparation, training, strategy, and decision-making. The project demonstrates how immersive, collaborative learning can accelerate AI adoption while keeping human judgment firmly at the center of legal practice. *About Hogan Lovells Cadwalader:* Our Digital Transformation offering helps clients navigate the full breadth and depth of the seismic forces impacting their organizations – and today’s society. Drawing on the experience of more than 3,000 lawyers across 36+ offices worldwide, we provide integrated advice on the regulatory, governance, risk, and enforcement issues arising from emerging technologies and the broader digital economy. If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd love for you to rate and review us. Your feedback helps us reach more listeners and continue bringing insightful conversations on digital transformation and law. Thank you for your support.