Legal professionals increasingly dependent on AI tools

New survey data from LexisNexis reveals a rapid integration of artificial intelligence within the legal sector. Approximately 94% of lawyers now use AI for legal work, a significant increase from 11% in 2023. Among those surveyed, 15% of lawyers at large commercial firms and 13% of in-house counsel report being completely dependent on AI to perform their daily tasks.

Common applications for the technology include legal research, document summarization, and drafting or reviewing contracts. While adoption is high—with 34% of practitioners using AI tools daily—significant concerns persist. Approximately 83% of lawyers expressed worry regarding AI errors and hallucinations, such as inaccurate or fabricated information.

Other primary concerns include confidential data leakage (53%) and over-reliance on the technology (52%). Additionally, 77% of lawyers believe that widespread AI use is causing clients or the general public to misinterpret legal positions. Some legal leaders noted an increase in litigation driven by claimants using AI to bring claims that may not be meritorious.