Relativity: Complete Review

Relativity AI Capabilities & Performance Evidence

Core aiR Product Suite Performance

Relativity's AI capabilities demonstrate measurable impact in documented customer implementations. The aiR for Review solution, launched in late 2024, employs generative AI to predict relevant documents, locate material related to legal issues, and identify key documents early in case development[72][74]. Customer evidence validates these capabilities: a Kroll case study documents RelativityOne's AI analytical processes reducing 1.3 million documents to 250,000 through automated searches, ultimately identifying 40,000 key documents for priority review—representing an 81% reduction in human review requirements and a 97% reduction to priority documents[78].

The aiR for Privilege component, available since November 2024, accelerates privilege review and log creation using multiple AI models[82]. While specific performance metrics remain vendor-reported, the solution's transparent reasoning capabilities address legal professionals' primary AI concern: algorithmic accountability for courtroom defensibility[74].

Surveillance-Specific Capabilities Assessment

Relativity's multimedia evidence capabilities center on three primary tools that extend beyond traditional document review:

A/V Transcription: Launched in July 2025, this feature converts audio and video files into searchable text within RelativityOne, supporting over 140 languages and enabling bulk processing of up to 10,000 files[80][82]. The system provides time-synced transcripts allowing users to navigate directly to specific moments in media, addressing the workflow integration challenge that separates Relativity from specialized transcription services[80].

RelativityOne Redact: Available at no additional platform cost, this automated redaction tool uses regular expressions to identify and protect personal information including Social Security numbers, addresses, and phone numbers[79]. While functional for basic privacy protection, this approach lacks the advanced object detection capabilities found in specialized redaction platforms like Veritone.

Personal Information Detect (PI Detect): This AI-powered solution employs machine learning with over 120 pre-trained detectors across multiple languages to identify personal information beyond traditional pattern matching[81]. The system's ability to learn from reviewer changes and improve within specific matters addresses the contextual analysis gap in standard redaction tools[81].

Competitive Performance Context

Relativity's performance profile differs significantly from specialized surveillance tools. While BriefCam demonstrates 50% investigation time reduction through advanced video analytics[53], and Veritone achieved 956 redactions in three hours for complex federal projects[61], Relativity's strength lies in workflow integration rather than specialized video processing capabilities.

The platform's AI enhancement trajectory shows measurable progress: Relativity reports aiR jobs now run 3x faster following recent performance improvements, though baseline comparisons and measurement methodology require independent verification[82]. Customer adoption patterns indicate "hundreds" of users have embraced aiR solutions since general availability, with reported time savings of "months" per case[73].

Customer Evidence & Implementation Reality

Documented Customer Outcomes

Customer evidence for Relativity's surveillance capabilities remains limited compared to its document review track record. The Kroll implementation demonstrates the platform's analytical processing strength, but this case study focuses on document reduction rather than multimedia evidence handling[78].

For Federal sector deployments, Relativity positions aiR for Review as "the only FedRAMP authorized generative AI solution purpose built for document review," though this competitive exclusivity claim requires independent verification as the competitive landscape includes other authorized solutions[73].

Implementation Patterns & Resource Requirements

Successful Relativity implementations typically leverage existing RelativityOne infrastructure, reducing deployment complexity for organizations already using the platform. The A/V Transcription feature exemplifies this integration approach, allowing users to "review audio and video data alongside all your other evidence" within familiar workflows[80].

However, organizations migrating from server-based solutions face more complex transitions. Market trends show server and private cloud solutions declining from 27% market share in 2024 to an expected 22% by 2029, creating migration pressure for Relativity Server users[76].

Support Quality & Service Assessment

Relativity provides 24/7 global support as part of its service offering, positioning comprehensive support as a competitive differentiator for enterprise customers[77]. The vendor emphasizes customer success through training and onboarding programs, though specific satisfaction metrics and independent customer feedback require additional verification beyond vendor-reported success stories.

Relativity Pricing & Commercial Considerations

Investment Analysis & Commercial Structure

Relativity's pricing model reflects its enterprise positioning with multiple engagement options designed for different organizational needs[77]:

• Pay-as-you-go options for quick deployment and testing
• One or three-year commitments offering additional discounts and customization
• Variable data tiers optimizing costs across different case phases
• Volume discounts and tiered pricing based on usage patterns

However, specific pricing figures remain confidential, requiring direct vendor engagement for detailed cost analysis[77]. This pricing opacity contrasts with specialized tools offering transparent project-based pricing, such as Veritone's managed redaction services[58].

ROI Evidence & Value Assessment

The most concrete ROI evidence comes from document processing rather than surveillance-specific applications. The Kroll case study's 81% document reduction translates to substantial labor savings, though specific cost figures require extrapolation[78]. Customer reports of "saving months of time" suggest significant efficiency gains, but quantified financial impact data remains vendor-reported rather than independently validated[73].

For surveillance footage specifically, Relativity's value proposition centers on workflow consolidation rather than specialized processing speed. Organizations already using RelativityOne for document review may find integrated A/V capabilities more cost-effective than managing separate surveillance tools, despite potentially slower processing compared to specialized alternatives.

Competitive Analysis: Relativity vs. Alternatives

Strengths Relative to Specialized Tools

Relativity's primary competitive advantage lies in platform consolidation for organizations handling both document and multimedia evidence. Unlike specialized tools requiring separate workflows, Relativity enables unified case management across evidence types within familiar interfaces[80]. This integration reduces training requirements and tool sprawl for legal teams managing complex cases.

The platform's AI transparency features address legal professionals' primary adoption barrier: 75% cite AI "hallucination" concerns as their main hesitation, making Relativity's reasoning capabilities particularly relevant for courtroom defensibility[64][70][74].

Limitations Compared to Specialized Solutions

Specialized surveillance platforms demonstrate superior processing capabilities for video-intensive workflows. BriefCam's VIDEO SYNOPSIS® technology reduces investigation time by 50% through advanced object tracking and behavior analysis—capabilities beyond Relativity's current multimedia offerings[53]. Similarly, Veritone's automated redaction achieved 956 redactions in three hours, demonstrating processing efficiency that may exceed Relativity's pattern-based approach[61].

JusticeText's specialized public defender tools show 66% time savings for constitutional violation analysis in police footage, offering purpose-built features for criminal defense that Relativity's general-purpose platform cannot match[60].

Selection Criteria Framework

Organizations should evaluate Relativity when:

• Existing RelativityOne users seeking to add multimedia capabilities without workflow disruption
• Document-heavy cases with moderate surveillance evidence requiring integrated review
• Enterprise environments prioritizing platform consolidation over specialized processing speed
• Federal sector deployments requiring FedRAMP authorization for AI-powered review

Alternative solutions merit consideration for:

• Video-intensive investigations requiring advanced analytics and object tracking
• High-volume redaction projects needing specialized processing efficiency
• Budget-conscious organizations requiring transparent, project-based pricing
• Criminal defense practices needing purpose-built constitutional violation detection

Implementation Guidance & Success Factors

Critical Success Requirements

Successful Relativity implementations for surveillance evidence require several organizational capabilities:

Technical Infrastructure: Organizations must have robust cloud connectivity and data management processes to support RelativityOne's platform requirements. The A/V Transcription feature's ability to process up to 10,000 files demands adequate bandwidth and storage planning[80][82].

Change Management: While Relativity maintains familiar interface patterns, adding multimedia capabilities requires user training on new workflows. The platform's real-time collaboration features necessitate team coordination protocols for effective adoption[80].

Data Quality Protocols: AI performance depends on evidence quality, requiring preprocessing standards for older surveillance systems or compressed files. Organizations must establish validation procedures for AI-generated analysis to maintain legal defensibility.

Risk Mitigation Strategies

Vendor Concentration Risk: Organizations adopting Relativity for both document and multimedia evidence create single-vendor dependencies. Mitigation strategies include maintaining API connections with specialized tools for high-volume surveillance processing and establishing data portability requirements in vendor contracts.

Performance Validation: Given limited customer evidence for surveillance-specific applications, organizations should conduct pilot programs with representative evidence volumes before full deployment. This approach enables performance validation beyond vendor-reported capabilities.

Cost Management: Relativity's variable pricing model based on data tiers requires careful usage monitoring to prevent budget overruns. Organizations should establish data lifecycle management policies and leverage the platform's tier optimization features.

Verdict: When Relativity Is (and Isn't) the Right Choice

Optimal Fit Scenarios

Relativity excels for organizations requiring integrated evidence management across document and multimedia sources. The platform's strength lies in workflow consolidation rather than specialized video processing, making it ideal for:

Complex Litigation: Cases involving extensive document discovery with moderate surveillance evidence benefit from unified review workflows. The ability to review audio, video, and documents within a single platform reduces context switching and improves case narrative development[80].

Enterprise Legal Departments: Organizations with existing RelativityOne investments can leverage multimedia capabilities without additional platform adoption complexity. The integrated approach supports corporate investigations requiring both document analysis and surveillance review.

Federal Sector Requirements: The FedRAMP authorization for aiR products addresses government compliance requirements that specialized surveillance tools may not meet[73].

Alternative Considerations

Specialized solutions provide superior value for video-intensive workflows. Organizations should consider alternatives when:

High-Volume Video Processing: Investigations requiring extensive surveillance footage analysis benefit from specialized platforms like BriefCam, which demonstrate superior processing speed and advanced analytics capabilities[53].

Budget-Sensitive Projects: Organizations requiring transparent, project-based pricing may find specialized redaction services like Veritone's managed offerings more cost-effective than Relativity's enterprise licensing model[58][61].

Purpose-Built Workflows: Criminal defense practices benefit from specialized tools like JusticeText, which offer constitutional violation detection and bias analysis features absent from general-purpose platforms[60].

Decision Framework

Legal professionals evaluating Relativity should assess three critical factors:

1. Evidence Mix: Organizations handling primarily document-based cases with secondary multimedia evidence align well with Relativity's integrated approach
2. Platform Investment: Existing RelativityOne users gain implementation efficiency and reduced tool sprawl through multimedia capability adoption
3. Processing Requirements: Specialized video analytics needs may exceed Relativity's current capabilities, requiring evaluation of dedicated surveillance platforms

The platform represents a logical evolution for document-centric legal practices adding multimedia capabilities, but organizations with video-intensive workflows may require more specialized solutions to achieve optimal processing efficiency and advanced analytical capabilities.

Success with Relativity depends on realistic expectations about its multimedia capabilities relative to specialized alternatives, combined with strategic planning for workflow integration and user adoption across traditional document review and emerging AI-powered evidence analysis.