"When we first started using AI here, a lot of people were scared. I was pretty negative about it at first, too."

Ropafadzo Tambara, a final-year law student from Zimbabwe studying in Zambia, knows first-hand how intimidating legal education can be. Studying law in a foreign country comes with its own set of challenges — isolation, intense coursework, and the anxiety of speaking with professors. Before AI, research was a slow and painful grind that could swallow hours of the day.

When generative AI tools first gained traction, many people around her were skeptical. "When we first started using AI, a lot of people were scared of it here in Zambia and Zimbabwe," she recalls. "There was a belief that it was almost satanic or at the very least, robots coming to steal our jobs."

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There was a belief that it was almost satanic or at the very least, robots coming to steal our jobs.

The turning point came one day when a friend introduced her to ChatGPT. Watching her classmate break down a dense legal case sparked an immediate moment of clarity.

"As a law student, you can become a bit nervous to ask a professor, 'I don't really understand this concept,'" Ropafadzo explains. "But with AI, it doesn't get tired of explaining. You can tell it, 'Please explain this concept like I'm five,' or ask it to simplify complex Latin maxims. It strips away the scary legal jargon."

That patience proved essential as an international student. She had struggled at times to understand local expressions used by professors. AI became her personal translator and study guide. "I've realised that even during exam preparations, I can paste my notes and ask AI to just give me all the 'nuggets.' It helps me understand concepts much faster, even when the notes come from a 300-page book."

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But with AI, it doesn't get tired of explaining.

She found particular value in analysing past cases. In law, every argument relies on precedent. She could paste a file and ask AI to surface the themes, principles, and likely trajectory of a case — allowing her to sharpen her arguments and build a more effective defence strategy.

She also began to see the value in refining her own voice. Whether structuring an article, writing an essay, or drafting an email, she found AI useful for adjusting tone — warm, serious, or persuasive, depending on the context. "AI is quick to tell you when you're straying off ideas, but it also encourages you when you have interesting thoughts. After I write an article, I'll ask, 'I was trying to achieve X, Y, and Z — did I do this well?' It comes back and points out where an idea didn't communicate clearly so I can research more and make it better."

Ropafadzo came to see AI as less of a threat and more of a force for real systemic change. "It's changing so many structures — legal systems, economic systems — making things more effective and easier for everyone."

She sees a future where success is a blend of human creativity, intuition, and effort, with AI as a tool rather than a replacement. "I don't do everything with AI. But because I'm pretty creative, I get to spark my creativity using it."

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AI doesn't steal your job. You just have to be open to learn how it can make your work easier.

As she steps into her final year, Ropafadzo is not worried that AI will replace the legal profession. To her, the danger is the refusal to adapt. For anyone afraid that technology will leave them behind, her message is clear: "You still have to put in the effort of being human and bring your own creativity into the process. If you can communicate with AI well, that's where true success lies."