Technically Legal - A Legal Technology and Innovation Podcast Beyond ChatGPT: Why In-House Counsel Need Purpose Built AI (Cecilia Ziniti, CEO - GC AI)
Nov 20, 2025
Cecilia Ziniti, CEO of GC.AI, shares her remarkable journey from paralegal at Yahoo to leading a legal AI platform designed specifically for in-house counsel. She discusses the limitations of general AI tools like ChatGPT in legal contexts, emphasizing the need for citation and security. Cecilia introduces GC.AI's innovative features, such as enhanced document analysis and workflow-based playbooks, aimed at transforming legal practice and ensuring accurate, client-focused analysis. The conversation also explores trends in legal tech and the shift towards in-house legal work.
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Early Tech Legal Origin Story
- Cecilia began as a paralegal at Yahoo and then attended Berkeley Law to pursue tech-focused legal work.
- Her early internet experience shaped her career in IP, product counseling, and technology law.
Alexa Was The Career Pivot
- Cecilia was recruited to Amazon and assigned to the Alexa project (then Doppler) which became pivotal for her AI focus.
- Working on Alexa convinced her AI would enter every aspect of life and product design.
Early LLM Exposure At Replit
- At Replit Cecilia got early access to LLM APIs and experienced the 'magic' of AI drafting legal text.
- That early exposure sparked her obsession and led to founding GC.AI shortly after.