Many legal professionals are already using AI tools to streamline routine drafting, preliminary research, and document review. According to the 2026 Legal Industry Report from 8am™, 69% of surveyed legal professionals say they personally use general-purpose AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Claude for work, up from 31% in 2025. At the firm level, 46% report these tools are now used across their organizations, more than doubling from the previous year.
As AI becomes a core component of legal workflows, its influence extends beyond efficiency gains. Firms are rethinking how work is distributed, creating ripple effects across hiring decisions, team structures, and the trajectory of legal careers.