AI-drafted contracts: a review checklist before you use one
Where AI contract drafts go wrong, and a checklist to work through before sending one to a lawyer or the other party.
AI can produce a contract that looks completely convincing in a minute. That's useful, and it's also the risk: a contract's problems usually don't show until there's a dispute.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Treat an AI draft as a starting point for a qualified lawyer in your jurisdiction, and use this checklist to make that review faster and cheaper.
Where AI drafts go wrong
Wrong jurisdiction. Models mix legal systems. A clause that's normal in one country may be unenforceable, or mean something else, in another.
Invented law. An AI can cite a statute or a case that doesn't exist, or describe a real one wrongly. Check every reference.
Generic terms. The draft reflects what contracts usually say, not what you and the other party actually agreed.
Missing protections. It can only include what it thinks of. It won't know about the risk that's specific to your deal.
Internal contradictions. One clause gives 14 days and another gives 30. Long drafts are especially prone to this.
Out-of-date rules. The law may have changed since the model's training data was gathered.
The checklist
Parties and basics
- Are the legal names, registration details and addresses correct for each party?
- Is the person signing authorized to sign?
- Are the start date and end date clear?
- Is every defined term used consistently, and are all fill-in fields completed?
The deal
- Does it state exactly what will be delivered, by when, and to what standard?
- Are the price, currency, tax, invoicing and payment dates correct?
- What happens if payment or delivery is late?
- How can the scope be changed, and who can approve a change?
Risk
- Who's liable if something goes wrong, and is there a cap?
- Are there indemnities, and do you understand what you'd be promising?
- Is insurance required?
- What happens if events outside either party's control prevent performance?
Ownership and confidentiality
- Who owns the work, and when does ownership pass?
- What counts as confidential, and for how long?
- If personal data is involved, are data protection duties covered?
Ending it
- How can each side end the contract, with how much notice?
- What happens to payments, work and data afterwards?
- Does it renew automatically? Is that what you want?
Disputes
- Which country's law applies?
- Are disputes settled in court or by arbitration, and where?
- Is any clause required or forbidden by local or consumer law?
Final checks
- Read every number and date against what was agreed.
- Search the document for contradictions on notice periods and amounts.
- Check every statute or case citation against an official source.
- Make sure nothing confidential from another deal has crept in.
When a lawyer is essential
Always get one when the deal is high in value, long in term, or hard to reverse. The same goes for employment, property, investment, intellectual property and anything regulated, and for any situation where the other side has their own lawyer.
A well-prepared draft and a clear list of questions can make that review shorter. That's where AI helps the most.
Signatures
An image of a signature on a document isn't the same as a certified electronic signature. Rules for what's legally valid differ by country and by type of contract. Ask your lawyer if this matters for your document.
In DeepRit
DeepRit's legal templates produce drafts with a contract layout, numbered clauses and signature blocks. They keep fill-in fields on purpose, rather than guessing details. Add your standard terms as data, so that the draft starts from your own language. DeepRit is a writing tool, not a law firm, and its drafts need a qualified lawyer's review before use.