AI assistant versus agent
| AI assistant | Agent | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical output | Text, summaries, answers | Changes to pages and databases |
| Risk | Wrong or invented content | Wrong content plus wrong actions |
| Review needed | Read the output | Check what changed and why |
Practical legal uses, with review
- Turn meeting notes into tasks in an Actions database.
- Tidy and summarise internal research pages.
- Prepare a draft status update for a lawyer to edit.
- Flag matters with no next action, as a list for you to check.
Do not let an agent make unreviewed changes to deadlines, client records or anything you would have to defend to a regulator.
Questions to answer first
- What data can the agent read, and have you removed anything it should not see?
- Does Notion's current documentation address how your content is handled? Read it.
- Does your jurisdiction's guidance on AI and supervision apply? ABA Model Rule 5.3 is relevant in the US; other regulators have their own rules.
- Who checks the agent's work, and how often?
LawyerOS Pro with AI includes a Custom AI Agents page in the template to help you document your own agent set-up. We sell it; the AI features themselves belong to Notion.
A safe way to try an agent
- 1
Make a sandbox
Create a separate page and a small test database with fictional matters.
- 2
Give a narrow task
For example, ask it to list matters with no next action.
- 3
Check the result
Compare it with the database by eye and note mistakes.
- 4
Check what changed
If it edited anything, review the page history to see exactly what.
- 5
Decide the scope
Write down which tasks you would allow it in live work and which you would not.
Which Notion AI page should you read?
This primer defines the terms. For the 2026 agents timeline and costs, see the Custom Agents post; for firm setup, the setup guide.
Frequently asked questions
- What is a Notion agent?
- A Notion feature that can perform tasks in your workspace from instructions. Check Notion's current documentation for what it supports.
- Can an agent send email or file documents?
- Do not assume so. Check what actions Notion currently documents.
- Is it allowed for lawyers to use AI agents?
- Rules vary. Check your regulator and keep human review.
- Does LawyerOS include AI?
- No AI of its own; the Pro edition has a Custom AI Agents page designed around Notion's AI.
About the author
Raghav Handa trained as a lawyer, then spent years building legal technology, from enterprise legal products to custom systems for law firms.
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