14
From Chatbots to Legal AI - finding focus in a world of abundance with Pieter Buteneers
85 minutes
In this episode, Davio Larnout, CEO at Superlinear, chats with Pieter Buteneers, CTO and co-founder at Emma Legal. They dive into Pieter’s journey from building Chatlayer to founding Emma Legal, exploring what it takes to go from horizontal AI platforms to solving real, high-impact problems in legal due diligence. Along the way, they cover the evolution of chatbots, the rise of LLMs, the challenges of building vertical AI products, and what Europe needs to stay competitive in the AI race. Tune in for a sharp, honest take on focus, risk, and what it really means to build with AI.
“We always said from the get go, like if we find our niche, we will go really deep.”
— Pieter Buteneers, CTO & Co-founder at Emma Legal
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Key takeaways:
1. From agents to LLMs:
We looked at the journey from rule-based agents to large language models — what improved, what broke, and why most large companies still prefer structured systems over raw generative power. And how to avoid common pitfalls like hallucinations.
2. The benefits of going vertical
Pieter didn’t start in legal tech. He explored multiple industries like media, translation and supply chain before landing on legal due diligence. The lesson? Focus beats breadth. Depth in one domain is where the impact lies.
3. LLMs need context
A model without context is like a new hire with no onboarding. Pieter shares how Emma Legal guides AI with structure, examples, and clear prompts to deliver reliable results.
4. Productivity > hype
Emma Legal isn’t chasing AI hype. It’s reducing due diligence workloads by up to 50% and helping junior lawyers learn faster through structured feedback loops. This is what applied AI should look like.
5. Europe’s edge: trust and focus
Europe may not lead in foundational models, but it can lead in trusted, domain-specific AI. By focusing on workflows and reliability (not just tech horsepower), is where European companies can win.