Since the release of ChatGPT-3.5 just under two years ago marked most people’s first introduction to generative AI, it continues to be the technology everyone is talking about. And while its applications have evolved to influence practically every industry, its use cases for the legal profession are particularly noteworthy.

The 2024 Ediscovery Innovation Report was created by Everlaw in conjunction with the Association of Certified E-Discovery Specialists, and published today. Based on a survey of 267 legal professionals, the report paints a picture of a profession ready to embrace generative AI like no other technology before. Whether it’s increased automation, greater efficiency, or the ability to deliver better client value, they’re recognizing the value generative AI holds and don’t want to let the momentum pass them by.

As the industry looks ahead, it’s clear that generative AI will only become more important. Its promise to save clients money while delivering improved services is an enticing opportunity that organizations want to take advantage of.

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That said, it’s also important to acknowledge the risk inherent in many of these systems, and the need for generative AI to stick to the four corners of the document to reduce that risk. Generative AI is not a do-it-all wonder, but instead a tool that’s meant to always have a human element behind it. That means designing use cases that avoid weaknesses and help limit the potential for hallucinations.

Responsibly implementing this technology will become paramount for those that are looking to gain the trust and confidence of their employees and clients. The organizations that can pair this responsibility with proficiency and know-how are placing themselves at the forefront of the legal profession’s generative AI era.

Key Findings from the 2024 Ediscovery Innovation Survey Report

1. Lawyers are adopting generative AI faster than other transformative technologies

As generative AI moves beyond hype to actual usage in the legal profession, attention is turning to adoption rates. Thirty-four percent of respondents are currently using generative AI in their practice, with 17.5% actively using it in production on live matters, and 16.6% using it in some form of beta testing.

Compare these numbers to our 2021 Ediscovery Cloud Adoption Report, the precursor to this year's survey, where only 37% of respondents were using the cloud in any fashion, and it’s apparent just how quickly the adoption of generative AI has spread.

2. Legal professionals have a positive outlook on generative AI — and believe it will eventually become standard in ediscovery technology

Although legal professionals are not considered optimists by nature, based on our results, their outlook on generative AI shows they’re generally excited about the technology. The majority of respondents have a positive attitude towards the proliferation of generative AI (65%), and a similar number think it will be standard in ediscovery technology in the next two years (61%).

3. Those who were first to cloud adoption are also at the forefront of embracing generative AI

The divide between different camps of ediscovery software deployment has also bled into a divide between those who are embracing generative AI and those who remain skeptical about its potential. Our results show that those with their ediscovery software deployed on the cloud are over six times more likely to be actively using generative AI in their legal matters than those with their ediscovery software deployed on-prem. Additionally, those with cloud-based ediscovery software are five times more likely to have a positive attitude towards the proliferation of generative AI in the legal industry.

4. Eliminating manual tasks and increasing productivity highlight generative AI’s benefits

As legal technology becomes more advanced, attorneys are leveraging it to make their jobs easier. For example, the majority of respondents noted foreign language translation (80%) and document review (78%) as the two primary tasks they feel comfortable using generative AI to perform, which typically take rather large amounts of time, yet are also vital parts of legal work.

That’s also consistent from the perspective of generative AI, with three-quarters believing it will make drudge work easier and allow them to prioritize more high-value work (75%), and a similar number seeing increased efficiency as one of the greatest benefits generative AI can provide (66%).

5. The legal profession is (still) not prepared for the impacts of generative AI

Legal professionals still feel the industry isn’t prepared for the impacts of generative AI. Over two-thirds of respondents (68%) feel this way, which is only a slight improvement over the previous years’ results (72%). Many would also like to see better education and training on how to use generative AI in their work from their organization (77%).

Justin Smith is a Content Marketing Manager at Everlaw. He’s written on everything from financial markets to the product warranty industry for several different companies.