Login | July 10, 2026
New study finds more legal professionals use and trust AI
SHERRY KARABIN
Legal News Reporter
Published: July 10, 2026
Known for its resistance to change, the legal profession is taking a different approach when it comes to artificial intelligence, adopting the technology at an increasingly rapid pace.
A new study by the AI contracting platform Ironclad finds AI use is up dramatically compared to 2025, with a large number of respondents now saying the benefits outweigh the risks.
Ironclad’s third annual State of AI in Legal Report surveyed more than 800 legal professionals across in-house teams and law firms.
The report finds that although legal teams remain focused on mitigating risk, as their workloads rise, more are trusting AI tools to help them keep up.
In a press release, Ironclad General Counsel Jasmine Singh stated, “Legal teams today are facing pressure to do more, while working faster with smaller teams.
“AI is helping lawyers focus on strategic work, drive value for their business, and model best practices for how the technology can be used by company leadership and other departments.”
In fact, 92% of respondents report they’re utilizing AI for their legal work versus 69% in 2025, and 92% say the benefits outweigh the risks, compared to 59% a year ago.
Interestingly, confidence levels are the highest among GCs, CLOs (chief legal officers) and legal leaders, with the report finding 99% trust the technology.
While the tools are allowing professionals to streamline some of the more high-volume and mundane tasks, AI is also increasing the pressure to reduce turnaround times and expand traditional roles.
Specifically, 96% of respondents say their organizations now expect more from the legal function compared to two years ago.
AI is helping legal teams to expand their skill sets, enabling them to work on projects and issues outside the scope of their jobs, with 89% noting they are spending more time on complex and strategic matters and 95% saying AI has increased their value beyond their legal expertise.
Ninety-four percent say they rely on the technology for contract-specific tasks and 97% report at least one measurable business outcome, including faster response times (52%), quicker contract turnaround times (50%) and reductions in outside counsel spend (42%).
Additionally, 96% state they would use AI more extensively if accountability for errors was more clearly defined.
And though many in the profession continue to have AI-related job security concerns, 65% of this year’s respondents believe AI will create more opportunities, an increase from 46% in 2025.