You’re in the middle of a divorce and looking for a way to make the process less overwhelming. AI tools are everywhere, so you turn to one that promises quick answers about spousal and child support payments, parenting schedules, and property division. At first, it seems helpful – you input the information you’ve gathered, and the AI responds with numbers that look reasonable and even drafts a message you think you might send to your spouse.
Then things start to shift. The support estimates from the AI look different than what your attorney mentioned earlier, but you’re not sure why. The AI’s parenting plan suggestions appear to be fine until you notice they don’t actually reflect your work schedule. You enter more details in the hope that the tool will sort itself out – meanwhile, you don’t realize that the personal information you entered may be stored on a server you don’t control. The AI also doesn’t tell you that some of the guidance doesn’t actually match California law.
A few days later, your spouse shares a settlement offer that you suspect may be written by another AI tool. Something about the tone feels off, and parts of the offer misrepresent what you actually discussed with your spouse. When you ask where the proposed settlement numbers come from, your spouse can’t explain because the tool created them automatically. The conversation becomes strained, not because either of you intended it that way, but because both of you relied on a tool that’s not made to reflect your real positions.
As your negotiations continue, you start to see how easily AI can steer the process in the wrong direction – and you realize how important it is to check every AI-generated suggestion against actual, reliable legal guidance. With support from an experienced California family law attorney who understands these concerns, you can address the confusion created by these tools and regain control over the decisions that will shape your future.
How AI Tools Can Influence Decisions in Your Divorce
AI tools like ChatGPT market themselves as helpful, and they may seem like a good option when you’re trying to make sense of financial questions, parenting schedules, or communication with your spouse. Some AI platforms even offer “quick calculators” for spousal or child support amounts, while others create sample parenting plans. These tools might seem like they’ll save you time, but instead, they can shape your choices in ways you might not expect or want.
When you work with AI tools on your divorce, they may influence your decisions by:
- Shifting Your Expectations – If an AI suggests a figure for child or spousal support that looks precise, you’re likely to assume that it accurately reflects California law. But if you’re using AI tools, many of these numbers are based on generalized data sets instead of the standards used by the courts in your county. This can lead you into negotiations with expectations that don’t match what a family court would consider.
- Communicating the Wrong Tone – If you rely on AI to draft a message to your spouse, the subtle differences between the AI and how you normally communicate can be confusing and even off-putting to the reader. A message intended to open a calm conversation may sound abrupt, which can affect the progress of your discussions.
- Overlooking Important Details – Parenting plans generated by AI are likely to miss the practical realities of your life. The plan may not account for your commute or your child’s school schedule, for example. If you treat these drafts as ready to use, or even use them as a jumping-off point, you can set up expectations that later become difficult to change.
- Failing to Consider California Law – AI models may rely on incorrect or outdated laws, or even disregard California’s state laws altogether, when generating responses. Basing your strategy or information on this type of flawed reasoning can bring up problems not just during your divorce but even years down the line because of later disputes.
AI is a tool, not a reliable source of California legal authority. Not only that, but AI does not have the capacity to analyze the facts of your current situation with your future in mind – these are extremely nuanced issues that call for a trained legal eye. When you understand the limits of AI and other LLMs (Large Language Models), you can avoid making ill-advised decisions.
What You Should Know About the Accuracy and Reliability of AI
AI systems are designed to respond to your input and even validate or reinforce your point of view – but they don’t verify the accuracy of the information you provide. They also can’t evaluate whether their suggestions match current state law or local court rules.
When you rely on AI, keep in mind the limits built into these systems:
- AI can create confident statements without reliable support. AI answers usually sound well-reasoned. Even when the results are incomplete or wrong, the language used by AI models can sound firm and authoritative. As a result, you could end up moving forward without confirming whether the output actually is accurate. This is why attorneys are very careful about verifying sources of information, particularly case law. Courts in California have sanctioned attorneys who have relied on AI materials and research without validating its accuracy.
- AI may rely on outdated or inconsistent sources. Some large language model systems use general data pulled from jurisdictions and courts across the United States, while California has specific rules that differ from those of other states. A child support calculation or parenting plan that applies elsewhere may not actually apply to your case.
- AI cannot interpret emotional or practical context. Your divorce involves more than just numbers and schedules – it involves your home life, your parenting relationship, your finances, and your future stability. AI simply cannot understand your priorities or the dynamics between you and your spouse, no matter how confident it sounds.
Any errors from AI output can spread quickly and influence your divorce negotiations. If you treat AI-generated suggestions as reliable, you may build your entire negotiation strategy or expectations around them. When the information turns out to be wrong, you may need to revisit previous negotiations, bringing up additional delays and potentially more conflict.
Can AI Put Your Privacy at Risk During a Divorce?
Maybe you think there’s no harm in using AI tools during a divorce. But many platforms collect, store, or even share the information you enter. Even if you don’t intend to reveal sensitive details of your personal life or finances, small bits of data can create risk. Whether you’re entering financial records, descriptions of disagreements, or information about your children, you don’t always know how the data will be handled. Concerns include:
- AI Tools Do Not Maintain Attorney-Client Privilege – Under current laws, the information you enter into an AI tool can be subpoenaed since it is not protected under any kind of privilege. This can create a huge risk if highly contentious divorces.
- Stored Data You Didn’t Intend to Keep – Some AI tools keep your inputs to train future models. This means your information can stay within the system long after you stop using it. You may not control where it goes, how long it stays there, or who buys it.
- Access Through Shared Devices – If you use devices or accounts shared with your spouse, the information you enter in an AI tool may appear in search histories or stored chats. This can expose thoughts or strategies you didn’t plan to share.
- Risk of Third-Party Access – Certain platforms may share usage data with outside vendors. While this is usually described in the terms of service as improving user experience, it can still expose patterns or details you intend to keep private.
Divorce already places enough strain on your personal boundaries. Before sharing anything sensitive, consider whether using the tool could impact your case negatively.
Is AI-Generated Information Admissible in California Courts?
Judges look for evidence that’s reliable and supported by established legal standards – and AI-generated content usually doesn’t meet those requirements. Most AI tools don’t explain how they reach their conclusions or what sources they rely on. Without this type of transparency, courts can’t determine whether the information is trustworthy.
California family courts require verifiable sources. An AI tool may produce a financial estimate or a summary of legal rules, but if you can’t show where the information or reasoning came from, it won’t carry any weight. Courts rely on evidence like statements, documents, reports, and testimony that follow recognized procedures. Even if you use AI to draft a budget, parenting schedule, or proposal, the court will still need supporting documents – and the AI draft can guide you in the wrong direction.
Unfortunately, a lot of AI output contains assumptions that don’t necessarily apply to specific cases. If an AI tool uses generalized formulas or outdated rules, the result won’t reflect what California law requires, and that can significantly impact the timeline and outcome of your case.
When you understand how courts treat AI-generated content, you can avoid bringing materials into your case that won’t help you – or will actively work against you. If you’re ever unsure about what carries legal weight, the best course of action is to speak with an experienced attorney who can give you guidance that’s grounded in California’s rules.
What Happens When Your Spouse Uses AI Against You?
If you’ve considered using AI in your divorce, you might not be the only one. Your spouse could use these tools to draft messages, prepare financial summaries, or generate arguments in support of their position. While this might seem harmless at first, AI can change the tone and direction of your discussions in ways neither of you expects. These include:
- Messages That Don’t Sound Like Your Spouse – If your spouse uses AI to write emails or texts, their tone may feel sharp or detached. This can create tension that didn’t exist before, especially if you suspect something is off, but they deny their AI use. When communication feels unnatural, it can be harder to resolve disagreements.
- Financial Claims Based on Flawed Assumptions – When AI programs generate support estimates or property valuations, they usually don’t match California laws or market conditions. If your spouse treats these AI-created figures as facts, that could strain your negotiations and require you to correct the record with evidence.
- Arguments Built on Inaccurate Information – AI can produce statements that sound persuasive, even if they don’t actually reflect the law or the realities of your relationship. If your spouse believes that these AI-generated ideas are definitive, you could end up having to address issues that weren’t originally part of the conversation.
- Misinterpretations of Your Intentions – Many AI tools are programmed to agree with or validate whatever input they receive. So, if your spouse enters information about you in an AI tool, the output may frame your actions in a skewed way. This could even lead them to have emotional reactions not based in reality, but based on AI’s interpretation of their input. To make matters worse, they might get defensive if you bring this up. As a result, you may have to clarify your position to resolve the misunderstanding.
If you suspect that your spouse is using AI to shape their strategy during the divorce, it helps to focus on verified information. An attorney can help you respond to AI-generated claims with accurate legal guidance and documented facts. This protects your negotiation position and keeps the process grounded in reality instead of automated and generalized assumptions.
When Using AI Could Complicate Settlement Negotiations
Divorce settlement negotiations work best when both you and your spouse share a clear understanding of the issues – and AI tools can disrupt that process by producing suggestions or proposals that neither match the law nor your actual circumstances. Even when AI content sounds reasonable, it more often than not overlooks the details that matter most.
If you have an AI create a settlement outline, you’re likely to get one based on general patterns, not your specific circumstances. In a divorce, everything is personal – these details matter. In addition, even if you specify California law in your prompt, the settlement terms can be based on a mixture of state laws from across the country, which do not apply to divorces in California.
Incorrect or inaccurate settlement terms aren’t harmless – they can lead you astray from the real issues and numbers that matter. If you or your spouse sees an AI-generated settlement amount that appears precise and seems to make sense, you might expect the outcome of your divorce to match it. Even after realizing that the AI’s suggestions aren’t grounded in the law, these expectations can make it harder to compromise on the actual settlement amount.
In the end, AI tools don’t account for real-life issues like your children’s schooling logistics, their personal needs, or your personal and professional schedules. If you approach a parenting plan based on an automated template, it’s unlikely to actually serve the needs of your family.
To avoid these complications, an experienced California family law attorney can help you negotiate and refine settlement proposals so that they reflect the law and support a workable agreement with you and your spouse. When you build your decisions on accurate information, thoughtful discussion, and sound legal guidance, you’re more likely to reach a settlement that supports your future and avoids the pitfalls and delays brought on by AI content.
AI can be helpful as a tool in certain parts of your life, but it’s more likely to add complications when it comes to divorce. The outcome of your divorce affects your financial and personal stability, your children’s lives, and your long-term financial future. With so much at stake and the potential for long-term consequences, support from a capable family law attorney can make a huge difference in avoiding the pitfalls and risks of using AI for these types of cases.
At Moradi Neufer, we’ve represented clients across California in all types of divorce cases, with a level of practical knowledge and legal insight that no AI tool can match. We create solutions personally tailored to each client’s unique circumstances and priorities. If you’ve been tempted to use AI in your divorce – or if you suspect your spouse has already done so – we can help you better understand your options and move forward with a clear plan.
Contact us now to get started.
Common Questions:
1. Can I rely on AI tools to calculate child or spousal support in California?
AI tools may provide estimates, but they often rely on generalized data that does not reflect California law or county-specific guidelines. These calculations can be inaccurate and should always be reviewed by a qualified family law attorney.
2. Is information I enter into an AI tool private or protected?
No. Information entered into AI tools is not protected by attorney-client privilege and may be stored, shared, or accessed by third parties. In some cases, this data could even be subpoenaed during a divorce.
3. Can AI-generated content be used as evidence in a California divorce case?
Generally, no. California courts require evidence that is verifiable and based on recognized legal standards. AI-generated information usually lacks transparent sources and is not considered reliable or admissible on its own.
4. Why can AI-generated parenting plans cause problems?
AI-created parenting plans often fail to account for real-life factors such as work schedules, school routines, commute times, or a child’s specific needs. Using these plans without legal review can create unrealistic expectations and future disputes.
5. What risks arise if my spouse uses AI during divorce negotiations?
AI can generate inaccurate financial figures, misstate legal rules, or create messages with an unnatural tone. This may lead to misunderstandings, strained communication, and negotiations based on incorrect assumptions.
6. Does AI always reflect current California divorce laws?
No. AI tools may rely on outdated information or legal standards from other states. California family law is highly specific, and relying on incorrect rules can negatively affect your case.
7. Can AI help draft settlement agreements safely?
AI may generate draft language, but it does not understand your specific circumstances or future implications. Settlement terms should always be reviewed and negotiated with an experienced California family law attorney.
