Legal AI adoption depends on building trust and confidence at scale
Legal AI adoption hinges on trust and CTO leadership, says LexisNexis expert.
Why it matters: Legal professionals face barriers to AI use beyond technology, chiefly trust and confidence. Understanding these challenges and the leadership role of CTOs is vital for driving successful AI integration in firms.
- 80% of lawyers at large UK/Ireland firms use AI for legal research as of mid-2026.
- Only 30% report AI as embedded in their team’s strategy and operations.
- 85% of legal professionals worry about inaccurate or fabricated AI outputs.
- 81% of in-house counsel use AI vs. 55% of law firm attorneys, indicating adoption gaps.
Legal AI adoption is growing rapidly. As of June 2026, four-fifths of lawyers at large firms across the UK and Ireland use AI for tasks like legal research, with many also applying it in document review and client drafting (Artificial Lawyer).
However, broad access to AI tools doesn’t equal trust or consistent adoption. A 2026 benchmarking report revealed that while 82.7% of legal teams have broad AI access, only 22.1% report high trust in AI outputs (Factor). Concerns about inaccurate or fabricated results remain the top barrier, with 85% of legal professionals sharing this worry and 39% citing lack of trust as a key reason for limited firm-wide adoption (American Bar Association).
Chief Technology Officers (CTOs) play a crucial role in bridging this trust gap. Experts emphasize that AI must be integrated into firms' systems and workflows in ways that foster user confidence and ensure consistent use. Lewis Silkin’s CTO Alex Bazin notes that few firms have changed processes or feedback mechanisms to leverage AI benefits firm-wide (Artificial Lawyer).
Leadership matters: firm leaders express concerns about AI’s reliability and risks even among firms that have adopted generative AI, with 81% of mid-sized law firm leaders reporting these apprehensions (LawNext). Meanwhile, in-house legal teams report higher AI usage (81%) than law firm attorneys (55%), illustrating varying levels of integration and acceptance across legal sectors (Legal.io).
Training gaps persist: more than half of legal professionals say their firms provide no training on responsible generative AI use and have no plans to do so, highlighting another obstacle to confident adoption (American Bar Association).
Overall, trust in AI in legal practice remains a leading challenge. CTOs and legal leaders must foster cultures that connect AI to trusted data, secure workflows, and clear governance frameworks to scale confident use. Without this strategic leadership and operational support, AI benefits risk remaining siloed and underutilized.
By the numbers:
- 82.7% — Legal teams with broad AI access in 2026
- 22.1% — Legal teams reporting high trust in AI outputs
- 85% — Legal professionals concerned about inaccurate or fabricated AI outputs
- 63% — Mid-sized law firms formally adopting generative AI
Yes, but: Broad AI access is common, but pervasive concerns about reliability, risk, and lack of training slow firm-wide adoption and ROI realization.
What's next: Firms are expected to increasingly invest in AI governance and training programs to boost confidence and move beyond pilot phases.