Based on our experience advising clients across both jurisdictions, we observe that AI integration into commercial operations and workforce management is no longer a matter of “if”, but “when” and “how”. The trajectory is clear: AI adoption will continue to accelerate and businesses that fail to develop coherent AI strategies risk falling behind, while those that adopt AI without adequate governance frameworks expose themselves to significant legal risks.
In the employment sphere, we anticipate a continued restructuring of workforce compositions across sectors. While AI will undoubtedly displace certain categories of routine and administrative roles, it will simultaneously generate demand for new competencies.
Employers will face growing challenges in managing these transitions, including navigating complex dismissal procedures, conducting negotiations with affected workers, implementing retraining initiatives, and ensuring compliance with evolving legal requirements. Consider a mid-sized professional services firm that decides to implement AI-powered document review and client intake systems. Within eighteen months, the firm determines that three administrative positions and two junior analyst roles have become redundant, as AI now performs these functions more efficiently.
However, initiating dismissal procedures proves far more complex than anticipated: the employer must demonstrate that the redundancies are genuine and not a pretext for other motives, assess whether affected workers could be redeployed or retrained for AI-adjacent roles, and ensure compliance with notice periods and severance obligations under Romanian. Such scenarios will become increasingly common as AI adoption accelerates across sectors.
Employers must be prepared to justify AI-driven workforce restructuring with robust documentation, and implement transition measures that satisfy both legal requirements and workforce expectations. Failure to manage these processes carefully can result in unfair dismissal claims and reputational harm. Ultimately, the businesses best positioned to thrive in an AI-driven economy will be those that treat AI as a strategic asset requiring careful governance. We counsel our clients to approach AI adoption with ambition, embracing innovation while remaining vigilant to the legal, operational, and human dimensions of this transformative technology.
The Risks of AI-Generated Legal Content
Recently, an increasing number of clients present materials, contracts, policies and even legal clauses drafted by AI, asking lawyers to simply review them. In practice, this often takes more time and creates more risk than drafting from scratch:
- AI outputs can contain inaccuracies or hallucinations;
- Suggested clauses may lack grounding in applicable law or established practice; and
- Over-reliance on AI can reduce critical thinking in contract design.
These risks are not theoretical. Consider a manufacturing company that uses AI to draft a crossborder supply agreement: the AI-generated limitation of liability clause may fail to account for mandatory provisions under both Italian and Romanian law, contain ambiguous language regarding applicable governing law, or improperly exclude consequential damages. When a dispute arises, such defects can render the clause unenforceable, exposing the company to full liability, litigation costs, and reputational damage far exceeding the cost of professional legal advice.
Similarly, an IT services company relying on AI to draft a data processing agreement may find that the AI has used outdated GDPR terminology, omitted mandatory audit rights, or failed to properly allocate liability between controller and processor.
In the event of a data breach, such deficiencies can result in substantial regulatory fines under the GDPR, contractual disputes with clients, revenue loss – consequences that professional legal review would have prevented.
Accordingly, while AI may serve as a useful tool for clients to better understand their needs and formulate informed requests to legal counsel, the actual drafting, review and validation of legal documents must remain the exclusive domain of qualified legal professionals who can ensure compliance and properly assess risk exposures.
How Lexters Can Support Your Business
At Lexters, we are specialized in corporate law and advise both Italian and Romanian companies navigating the legal, regulatory, and strategic implications of AI in business and employment relations. We have extended expertise in helping growing companies as well as investors, and we adjust our services to meet the specific needs of each client. From compliance with evolving AI laws to drafting robust policies, corporate governance frameworks, and commercial agreements, we are well-positioned to support organisations navigating the challenges and opportunities of an AI-driven business environment
This article was featured by Alexandru Stănescu (Partner) and Patricia Gorici (Senior Associate) in The Italian Magazine no. 7, published by the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Romania.
