How I Became an AI 9 (and Why It Matters for Legal and Business Professionals)

How I Became an AI 9 (And My Plan to Become a 10)

By Paul Serafy

Director of Legal – Private Equity | Business + Real Estate Attorney | AI Workflow Strategist

A few months ago, I wouldn’t have guessed that I’d get rated a 9 out of 10 by an AI—for how I talk to AI. But that’s exactly what happened.

According to GPT-4o, I’m “significantly above average” in prompt phrasing: clear, efficient, structured. That might sound trivial, but it’s not. It means the AI understands what I’m asking and produces meaningful, usable work—fast.

The real value? I now routinely use AI to help draft legal content, model investment scenarios, write workflows, and synthesize dense research—without compromising my professional obligations.

This post is part reflection, part roadmap, and part invitation. I want to share how I got here, what it means to use AI responsibly, and how I’m continuing to integrate it into my professional life.

What’s an “AI 9”?

Let’s be clear: this is not an official certification. It’s the result of thousands of prompts, reviewed and refined over time. The model itself recognized that my phrasing is highly efficient—on a par with top power users.

Here’s what that looks like:

I ask clear, targeted questions.
I provide relevant context up front.
I iterate and refine output until it’s ready—not just “close enough.”
I use AI to extend my expertise, not replace it.

Using AI 

Ethically

 as an Attorney

Before we go further, let’s address the elephant in the room: I’m a practicing lawyer.

That means everything I do—especially with AI—is shaped by ethical obligations, including:

Protecting privilege and confidentiality
Avoiding unauthorized practice of law
Maintaining accuracy and professional oversight
Personally reviewing and approving any AI-assisted content before use

I don’t feed sensitive client data into a chatbot. I don’t let AI make judgment calls. And I never rely on it without verification.

In short: I use AI like a sharp assistant. Never a stand-in for experience or ethics.

How I Got to a 9

1. I Stopped Asking Vague Questions

AI doesn’t do well with “Can you help with this?” Instead, I lead with structure:

“Draft an LOI for a land acquisition in Texas, including a feasibility period, earnest money terms, and title review language.”

2. I Treated the AI Like a Junior Associate

I give clear direction, request structured output, and always review the work. That mindset—expecting competence but guiding the process—has helped me get the most out of every interaction.

3. I Built on What I Know

AI isn’t a shortcut for expertise. It’s a multiplier of it. Because I understand law, finance, and operations, I can use AI to accelerate what I already do well.

Why I’m Still Just a 9

I’ve made meaningful progress, but I’m still transitioning away from traditional, manual workflows.

Yes, I use tools like:

Motion to structure my time and integrate task prioritization
Spellbook to accelerate legal drafting and contract analysis
Google Suite for collaborative, cloud-based documentation

But I haven’t fully mastered or integrated them all—yet. I’m still refining my processes, building better automation, and gradually phasing out legacy research platforms that have served me well for years.

That’s what I believe separates a 9 from a 10: not just personal efficiency, but a fully integrated, repeatable system that anyone on your team—or any client—can benefit from.

My Plan to Become a 10

This year, I’m focused on closing the gap by:

Creating reusable prompt libraries for law, private equity, and real estate
Building AI-powered workflows that integrate with Motion, Notion, and Durable
Developing onboarding resources to help professionals adopt AI safely and ethically
Training others—lawyers, founders, and operators—on how to use AI as a practical, compliance-conscious tool

I’m not building magic. I’m building leverage—rooted in domain expertise and real-world application.

Want to Work Smarter, Safer, and Faster?

If you’re:

Drowning in repetitive work
Curious about AI but unsure how to use it without breaking rules
Or just want to turn ChatGPT into your most productive teammate

Let’s talk. I help professionals adopt AI the right way—ethically, efficiently, and without the hype.

Being a 9 is cool. But helping others build systems to scale that? That might just be a 10.

Need help applying AI in a legal or business context?

Get in touch or connect on LinkedIn.