Source: Deloitte

The legal industry stands at a technological crossroads, with Generative AI promising unprecedented transformations. Recent data reveals compelling expectations, with an astounding 88% of respondents anticipating significant productivity and efficiency gains—the highest-ranked benefit across all categories. This overwhelming majority signals a clear industry consensus: GenAI isn't just another tech trend; it's a fundamental game-changer.

Cost efficiency emerges as another crucial benefit, with 67% expecting reduced operational costs in legal work. This isn't merely about cutting expenses—it represents a fundamental shift in how legal services are delivered and resourced. The data suggests firms can do more with less, maintaining quality while improving bottom-line performance.

The human element shows equally promising prospects. Employee satisfaction is set to improve significantly, with 60% anticipating better workplace experiences. The key lies in AI's ability to handle routine, repetitive tasks, freeing legal professionals to engage in more intellectually stimulating work. This same percentage expects enhanced quality and consistency in legal outputs, suggesting AI will elevate both the work experience and the work product.

A particularly noteworthy finding is that 62% expect improved business self-service capabilities, pointing toward a future where routine legal matters can be handled with reduced attorney intervention. This democratiSation of legal services, combined with enhanced data-led decision making (45%) and proactive risk management (43%), suggests a fundamental shift in service delivery models.

Law firms aren't being left behind in this transformation. Forty percent anticipate enhanced service delivery through AI-enabled solutions, indicating a move toward more sophisticated, efficient, and accessible legal services. The data also shows a strong focus on developing digital capabilities that leverage GenAI, suggesting firms are preparing for a tech-enabled future.

Quality improvements remain central to this transformation, with 60% expecting better legal work quality and consistency. This, coupled with improved data-driven insights and risk management, indicates that the industry is poised to become not just more efficient, but fundamentally more effective in serving client needs.

Read more: Deloitte