Extract from Juliette Richart Nova’s article “Poll Results: Generative AI and the Legal Profession in 2024”
Generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) has swept the legal profession to the brink of unprecedented technological and regulatory transformation.
In early 2024, DISCO and The Cowen Group surveyed legal practitioners from law firms, in-house legal departments, and ediscovery teams to generate a snapshot of the legal industry at the dawn of this watershed moment.
From the obstacles to adopting this new technology to its perceived benefits, we hope these key takeaways empower you and your legal practice to confidently navigate the future of AI.
Key takeaway 1: Expect rapid adoption of gen AI within the next two years
72.5% of legal practitioners are either already using gen AI or plan to do so within the next two years, suggesting the legal profession is on the cusp of a significant transformation.
The data shows a significant adoption rate, with 20.3% of respondents indicating their organizations have already adopted gen AI in their routine legal processes. This, combined with 18.8% planning to adopt in less than six months and 17.4% in six months to a year, suggests a rapid embrace of AI technologies within the legal sector.
What are the drivers? 70.8% say a primary driver for adopting gen AI is the efficiency boost, closely followed by the benefits of AI-powered data analysis (60.3%) and faster time to evidence (48.5%).
