Yes, as long as it remains an assistance tool.
It can help sort papers, prepare files, compare documents and speed up some research tasks. In Switzerland, however, it must respect two essential requirements: the specific features of cantonal law and data confidentiality.
How AI can help a notarial office
Notarial offices handle a large volume of documents, from real estate sales and wills to contracts of succession, marital agreements and administrative papers.
AI can carry out an initial review of these documents, extract the key information and flag missing or inconsistent elements.
In a real estate sale, for example, it can prepare a chronology, retrieve administrative data or compare several documents before the deed is drafted.
The method for checking a real estate file is set out in our article on AI-powered notary due diligence.
For succession matters, see also our guides AI for a succession deed and AI for an authentic will.
Preparing a deed without delegating the final drafting
AI can help while a deed is being prepared. It can organise the client’s information, suggest a structure, check that certain clauses are present or harmonise wording.
The final drafting, however, remains under the notary’s control. Under Swiss law, a public deed has special evidential force and must be drawn up in accordance with the rules applicable in the canton concerned.
On its own, AI cannot assess the true intention of the parties, their legal capacity or the human aspects of a family situation.
For questions specific to family matters, see our article AI and family law.
Spotting sensitive clauses
In a contract of succession, a marital agreement or another complex deed, some clauses can have significant consequences.
AI can compare several versions of a document and highlight a change, unusual wording or an inconsistency.
It then works as an alert system. It is up to the notary to determine whether the flagged point actually presents a legal risk.
This method is explained in more detail in our article on AI-assisted legal analysis.
Automating repetitive tasks
Part of the work of a notarial office consists of administrative tasks that do not always require the notary’s direct involvement.
AI can help gather information, prepare some working documents or ask preliminary questions before an appointment.
The time saved can then be devoted to legal analysis and advice.
For clients who wish to prepare for their consultation, our guide to legal AI for individuals sets out the possible uses.
More generally, organising a notarial office around AI is covered in our article AI in the notarial office.
Checking sources under Swiss law
In notarial matters, a legal answer is only useful if it is based on a verifiable source that applies in the right canton.
A general-purpose tool can sometimes mix up federal law, cantonal law or even foreign rules. It can also produce an incorrect reference.
The notary must therefore be able to trace the source of an answer easily.
For federal law, the texts can be checked on Fedlex. For cantonal law, the official sources of the canton concerned must be consulted.
The speed of the tool matters less than its ability to provide precise references that are easy to check.
Protecting client data
Notarial offices handle particularly sensitive information: assets, family circumstances, bank accounts, successions and estate planning.
Before sending this data to an AI tool, the office must check where it is stored, who can access it and whether it is used to train the models.
The Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP) applies to data processing carried out with artificial intelligence. Professional secrecy also calls for particular attention to the tool’s terms of use.
The mere fact that a service advertises encryption is not enough. The hosting location, authorised access, processors and the model training policy must also be checked.
The legal framework is set out in detail in our article AI and data protection.
What the notary must always check personally
AI can organise information and flag inconsistencies, but it has neither legal responsibility nor a full understanding of the human situation.
The notary must therefore always check the intention of the parties, the consistency of the deed and compliance with legal requirements.
Where there is ambiguity, the tool should highlight the point to be examined rather than present a conclusion as certain.
The rule remains simple: AI prepares the work, the notary decides and validates.
Integrating legal research into the office’s tools
An AI solution is easier to adopt when it integrates directly with the software already in use.
The integration of Silex into WinLex and SkyLex, for example, makes it possible to start a legal search without leaving the current file.
The partnership between Silex and MCR Solutions pursues the same goal: integrating AI-assisted legal research into existing workflows.
The notary can thus look up a rule or check a source without constantly switching between tools.
How to choose a tool suited to notarial work
The choice should not be based solely on the quality of the text produced.
Above all, it is important to check where the data is located, the access rules, any use of files to train the models and the quality of the legal sources.
Hosting in Switzerland can simplify the handling of sensitive files, even though the FADP does not always require all data to remain on Swiss territory.
The contract with the provider should also state that client documents are not reused to train or improve the models.
Finally, the tool must make it possible to trace the legal source of every important answer.
What Silex offers notaries
Silex is designed for legal research in Swiss law and for document analysis.
With Silo, the office can query its own documents while linking them to the legal sources used in the analysis.
According to Silex, data is hosted in Switzerland by Infomaniak and client files are not used to train the models.
The tool’s features are presented on the Silex product page, while the security guarantees are detailed on the security and professional secrecy page.
The various plans are available on the Silex pricing page. The solutions by practice page also describes uses for notaries.
The private bank Bordier & Cie uses Silex for its legal research. The partnership between Silex and EXPERTsuisse is aimed in particular at audit, tax and fiduciary professionals.
Before introducing AI into a notarial office
Before deploying a solution on real files, the office must check a few essential points: is the data sufficiently protected? Are the files used to train the models? Can the legal sources be verified? Is access limited to the right people?
The office should also put in place a human review procedure before any result is used in a deed or in advice to a client.
To test these criteria on your own files, you can book a demo.
In short
AI can save notarial offices time by sorting papers, preparing deeds, comparing documents and making legal research easier.
However, it does not replace the notary’s analysis, verification or signature.
To be useful, the tool must offer verifiable sources, protect client data and leave the final decision to the professional.
FAQ
Can AI sign a notarial deed?
No. Signing and validating the deed remain the responsibility of the persons authorised to do so under the applicable law.
Can a notarial office’s data be protected when using AI?
Yes, if the tool offers sufficient guarantees regarding hosting, access rights, encryption and the use of files for model training.
