“Intelligent agents” and Enterprise Risk Monitors – startling, star gazing, or Star Trek?

“Today, forward looking legal departments have already deployed an Enterprise Risk Monitor to gain real-time visibility into their organization’s exposure in the areas of litigation, compliance and asset risks.” (Met. Corp. Counsel, Vol. 13, Dec. 2005 at 56, comments by Afshin Behnia, Mitratech’s President & CEO).

Really? Please name just one or two forward lookers.

But it gets better. “Technological advances will enable the legal team to deploy intelligent agents integral to the Enterprise Risk Monitor, which will proactively run ‘what-if’ scenarios and alert the general counsel of potential threats or exposures that may otherwise go unnoticed.” My goodness! Elfin electronic lawyers picking up the red phone.

Sounds like intelligent agents pose more threat to law department lawyers (and outside counsel) than does offshoring. Nevertheless, pace Jerry McGuire, “show me the hobbit!”