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As the American Arbitration Association marks 100 years, it’s already betting its next century on AI and online dispute resolution.
In this episode of Arbitration Acumen, J.P. Duffy speaks with Bridget McCormack, president and CEO of the AAA-ICDR, about the organization’s centennial and what comes next.
Bridget discusses her transition from chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court to leading one of the world’s most prominent arbitral institutions, the AAA-ICDR’s investment in online dispute resolution and mediation, and the organization’s use of AI tools to streamline arbitration and expand access to justice.
She also explains the launch of the AAA-ICDR’s AI arbitrator, its initial use in documents-only construction disputes, the importance of human oversight, and her vision for using technology to expand access, efficiency and trust in dispute resolution over the next century.
Episode Highlights
[3:03] The AAA at 100: J.P. sets the stage for the conversation by outlining the AAA-ICDR’s history, scale and role in administering arbitrations, mediations and other forms of dispute resolution across commercial, construction, consumer, employment, labor, healthcare, government and international disputes.
[5:07] From the Bench to the AAA-ICDR: Bridget explains how she moved from serving as chief justice of the Michigan Supreme Court to becoming president and CEO of the AAA-ICDR, and what drew her to the role at a moment when ADR is being fundamentally reshaped by technology.
[9:13] ODR.com, Mediate.com and Scaling Access to Dispute Resolution: Bridget discusses the AAA-ICDR’s acquisition of ODR.com, its work with courts and online dispute resolution platforms, and how Mediate.com supports the organization’s broader goal of expanding mediation services and communities.
[15:00] AI, Procedural Fairness and Making Parties Feel Heard: The conversation turns to artificial intelligence and its potential impact on dispute resolution. Bridget explains why AI matters not only for efficiency, but also for procedural fairness, particularly when technology can help parties feel heard and understood.
[18:58] The AI Arbitrator and the Future of Dispute Resolution: Bridget describes the AAA-ICDR’s AI arbitrator, currently focused on documents-only construction disputes, including how the system uses AI agents, party feedback and human arbitrator review to support faster, more cost-effective outcomes.
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