Nearly nine out of 10 legal professionals say they use AI in some capacity - but clients are usually unaware of the fact, according to a survey for a legal tech company. The research also suggests that adoption of AI is rushing ahead of adequate governance.
The UK and Ireland Legal Insights Report 2026, published by Canada-headquartered Clio, found that 89% of legal professionals surveyed now use AI tools in some capacity; 70% adopting them in the past year. However only 7% of clients recall their lawyer disclosing that AI was involved in their matter.
These findings are based on surveys of more than 500 legal professionals and 500 members of the public across UK and Irish jurisdictions. Legal practitioners were asked about technology use, AI governance, pricing, performance, workload, and wellbeing. Members of the public were asked how they choose lawyers, what they value, and how they feel about AI in legal services.
According to the authors, the legal sector in the UK and Ireland has reached a pivotal moment: 'the question is no longer whether to adopt legal AI; the question is how best to integrate it.' The report concludes:
- Technology has moved from adoption to execution, and workflow design is now the differentiator.
- Governance gaps create risk around data security and client disclosure.
- Clients prioritise reputation, experience, and communication alongside price.
- Fixed-fee billing is now the dominant pricing model.
Among active AI users, 81% of respondents said the technology helps them respond to clients more quickly and proactively, 78% reported the ability to handle a higher volume of work, and 77% said it improves the quality of their output.
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However the speed of AI adoption has outpaced formal governance in many firms: 17% of firms have no formal AI policy in place, despite allowing and even encouraging AI use, the report found. It described the disclosure picture as ‘concerning’: while 81% of firms say they disclose AI use to clients at least occasionally, only 7% of clients recall their lawyer proactively sharing that AI was involved in their matter.
'AI is no longer a differentiator in itself,’ said Sarah Murphy, general manager international at Clio. 'Rather, depth of integration is what separates high-performing firms from those leaving real value on the table.'
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