Glossary
Human-in-the-loop
An AI design principle where a human reviews, approves, or overrides AI decisions before they take effect, preserving professional responsibility for consequential outcomes.
Human-in-the-loop (HITL) is a design principle for AI systems where a human must review, verify, or approve AI outputs before they are relied upon or acted on. It is the opposite of fully autonomous AI operation, where decisions are executed without human intervention.
Professional responsibility and AI
For Australian lawyers, human-in-the-loop is not optional — it is a professional responsibility requirement. The Legal Profession Uniform Law and associated conduct rules impose duties of competence, care, and supervision that cannot be delegated to an AI system. LegalScout's architecture supports human-in-the-loop by design: AI outputs are drafts and suggestions, not decisions. The practitioner reviews, refines, and takes responsibility for the final work product.