A legal expert leverages AI to transform in-house legal work

Cecilia Ziniti, former general counsel at Replit, recognized the potential of generative AI in legal work after witnessing its early applications at the company. Inspired by her experience with AI tools, she founded GC AI, a startup offering AI solutions tailored for corporate legal departments. Ziniti, who had no coding background, collaborated with Bardia Pourvakil, an engineer with prior legal education, to develop products that address the specific needs of in-house legal teams. GC AI has experienced significant growth, with a 400% year-over-year increase, serving over 2,100 companies, including major firms like Lockheed Martin and Eventbrite. The company focuses on trust and compliance, with about one-third of its 125 employees being lawyers. Ziniti emphasized the importance of her legal background in building a product that resonates with corporate legal departments. GC AI has raised nearly $72 million in funding, with a recent $60 million Series B valuation at $555 million. Ziniti’s journey highlights a new type of founder—experienced industry professionals leveraging AI with technical partners to innovate.