Amazon’s Voice Recognition Software Can Now Record Billable Hours

Using new software developed by Thomson Reuters, Amazon's
virtual assistant, Alexa, can now track attorneys' billable hours.
Photo: George W. Bailey / Shutterstock.com

“Alexa, bill 3.5 hours to the Smith case.”

That’s right, attorneys; the future is here.

Thanks to a massive advertising campaign, we all know about Amazon’s virtual assistant, Alexa, that can hear questions you ask and provide the answers. Now Alexa can even keep track of lawyers’ billable hours.

Thomson Reuters recently released its Workspace Assistant, designed to work with Amazon’s Echo or other Alexa-enabled devices. The product works with Thomson Reuters’ Elite 3E financial management application.

Through integration with the Elite Workspace desktop, Workspace Assistant allows attorneys to input billable hours to a specific client matter, use a timer to calculate and post time spent on a given client matter, and provides the ability to ask Alexa questions related to billable hours.

Naturally, a tool like this is bound to bring up security and confidentiality concerns, particularly in light of huge data breaches at companies like Yahoo. And prosecutors have already started issuing subpoenas for Alexa or Echo recordings.

However, Thomson Reuters says “the function is hosted by Elite, so it’s just a low touch into the Amazon environment. Alexa listens and interacts with time entry and reporting, but always within the firm’s security walls.”

“We see secure, innovative products and processes as critical to helping customers efficiently manage the many challenges they face,” said Charlotte Rushton, Thomson Reuters’ Executive Sponsor for Innovation in the Legal Business.

Workspace Assistant is available in the United States and the UK, and is a part of the business’s Lawyer Experience initiative. In order to use the product, an attorney’s office must already be using Thomson Reuters’ Workspace and Elite 3E products. It is available as a free download from the Amazon Alexa store.

Alexa’s hour-billing function seems very convenient, but I still feel there are major security and privacy issues in using the tool. Do you have similar concerns, or would you use Alexa to keep track of billable hours and possibly other references to cases you’re working on? Please share your thoughts in the comments.