Great discussion last Friday at the 34th Lunch Bowl with Brian Clauss, who joined us from Texas bright and early while most of us tuned in from Berlin. Brian provided an insightful overview of workplace dispute resolution—covering labor and employment arbitration and mediation.

A striking takeaway: the AAA registered ~4,000 workplace dispute arbitrations last year alone. When factoring in consumer disputes, the caseload exceeded 500,000 in 2024—a scale that naturally invites AI-driven efficiency.

The AAA is already integrating AI tools to streamline arbitration processes: from organizing procedural agendas to arbitrator selection and drafting arbitration provisions. Looking ahead, Brian expects AI to help define resolution parameters with a level of predictability—essentially forecasting success probabilities for different dispute outcomes.

With AI reshaping the field, one thing is clear: dispute resolution is entering a new era—one where technology will play a crucial role in balancing efficiency and fairness.

We are most grateful to Brian for this most informative moment before sunrise in Texas!

More info on AAA‘s AI initiatives: https://www.adr.org/blog/Leveraging-AI-in-arbitration-compliance.