Artificial Intelligence

A new generation of legal tech, including rapidly advancing AI and AI assistants, is introducing capabilities that don’t just automate individual steps. These tools act as proactive collaborators, intelligently navigating complex documents, surfacing key risks, applying context, and taking action. They’re helping legal teams move from manual to marvelous — and that transformation is happening faster than many realize.

In today’s digital-first business environment, legal departments are confronting an unprecedented escalation of risk. Cyberattacks are growing more frequent and sophisticated. Regulatory complexity is expanding across jurisdictions. And the pressure to respond quickly — without compromising accuracy or trust — is mounting.

The wave of cyberattacks and data breaches has turned information governance from a compliance afterthought into a required business function. Yet, despite well-publicized threats and skyrocketing costs associated with cyber incidents, most companies remain both underinsured and fundamentally underprepared.

A new generation of legal tech, including rapidly advancing AI and AI assistants, is introducing capabilities that don’t just automate individual steps. These tools act as proactive collaborators, intelligently navigating complex documents, surfacing key risks, applying context, and taking action. They’re helping legal teams move from manual to marvelous — and that transformation is happening faster than many realize.

No longer is legal risk management confined to checklists and backward-looking assessments. AI and OSINT are enabling legal professionals to anticipate, adapt, and act with greater speed and precision. But realizing the full potential of these tools requires more than technical integration. It demands a new operational mindset — one that prioritizes intelligence, agility, and continual learning.

The question this year: How should (or could) law firms be using AI as the technology stands today?

Results of our annual informal poll of tech experts at Legalweek: How law firms should (or could) be using AI as the technology stands today.

Artificial intelligence is no longer a futuristic idea for law firms; it is a rapidly evolving reality reshaping the way practices operate, offering law firms opportunities for greater efficiency, enhanced research capabilities and improved client service. However, as AI’s role in legal work expands, firms must adopt well-defined AI policies to protect client confidentiality, mitigate risks and ensure ethical compliance. Without a structured AI framework, law firms expose themselves to security breaches, malpractice risks and reputational damage.