AI Adoption in Corporate Legal Departments Doubles According to The General Counsel Report

Core Insights - The adoption of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in corporate legal departments has nearly doubled year over year, with 87% of general counsel reporting its use compared to 44% in 2025 [1] - A significant shift in the approach of legal departments towards AI and technology is noted, with 39% now considering AI a strategic priority for enhancing efficiency and efficacy [2] Technology Adoption - Legal departments with a formalized technology roadmap have reached an all-time high of 53%, more than double the 25% from the previous year [3] - Approximately 70% of legal departments plan to invest in new technologies within the next 12 months, indicating a growing emphasis on technology in legal strategies [3] Generative AI Usage - Respondents expressed the highest comfort levels with generative AI for tasks such as legal research, e-discovery, document review, contract drafting, and contract analysis [4] - The most common use of generative AI is for summarization, with 83% of respondents either using or experimenting with it, followed by identifying contract clauses (63%) and audio/video transcription (53%) [4] Industry Trends - The report indicates a transition from the era of the "Luddite Lawyer" to the "TechnoLawyer," highlighting a substantial increase in the use of generative AI among chief legal officers, from 20% in 2023 to 87% in 2026 [5] - Insights from chief information officers included in this year's report suggest the emergence of "digital ambassadors" within legal departments, reflecting a new dynamic in legal and technology collaboration [5] Research Methodology - The findings are based on interviews with general counsel and chief legal officers, as well as a quantitative survey of over 200 general counsel across multiple regions, including South America, North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific [7]