By the IADC AI Task Force – this article was generated using the help of ChatGPT
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the legal profession. And while AI will not replace lawyers, lawyers who understand AI will replace those who do not.
The IADC wants to provide its members the resources they need to stay ahead of the curve. To that end, the IADC AI Task Force recently asked members to complete a survey including a variety of AI-focused topics. Based on the results, the current pace of AI adoption within the IADC appears more limited than anticipated. For the full survey results, click here. (please note: this is a members-only document; you must be logged into the website to view results)
Participation and Demographics
The vast majority of the 168 survey respondents were based in the United States, with only light participation from Europe, Asia, and Latin America. The respondent pool skewed toward long-standing members of the profession (nearly 85 percent of respondents have been practicing for more than 20 years), raising questions about generational balance. Younger members were underrepresented. This may be because early-career lawyers are not eligible for IADC membership. But it also may indicate that outreach strategies regarding the survey did not resonate with the lawyers who are likely to shape the next phase of AI adoption. Whatever the reason, we likely did not hear from those attorneys who are using AI the most.
The AI Task Force is working on enlisting some of those lawyers to help bridge the age and knowledge gap.
How Members Use AI
According to the survey results, the most common current use of AI is legal research. This is notable—and somewhat unexpected—given that generative AI’s most powerful legal applications lie in drafting, summarizing, structuring, and workflow automation. The result suggests that members still view AI primarily as a research assistant rather than an operational co-pilot.
Trust and Value Perception
Across all survey answers, one theme dominated: trust. Sixty-five percent of the in-house counsel respondents indicated, for example, that they are only comfortable with their outside counsel taking advantage of AI if there is complete transparency about its use. Many respondents questioned whether current tools are reliable enough for client-facing tasks. Concerns include accuracy, hallucinations, data security, and ethical accountability. The message is clear—before adoption can accelerate, the profession must trust that AI will produce dependable results.
Interpretation and Next Steps
Taken together, the findings portray a profession in transition: intrigued by AI’s promise, yet restrained by reliability concerns.
The IADC AI Task Force will therefore focus on three priorities for the immediate future:
- Building Trust: Demonstrating where AI is reliable and where it isn’t.
- Bridging Generations: Creating mentoring and training initiatives to connect younger AI-native lawyers with our more long-standing members.
- Proving Value: Showcasing verified legal workflows where AI demonstrably enhances accuracy, efficiency, and insight, so that we can both introduce AI tools to AI neophytes and assist AI veterans in becoming even more agile and adept.
The challenge before us is to ensure that AI integration happens safely, credibly, and inclusively within the defense community.
Questions, input, and suggestions are highly appreciated and can be directed to the AI Task Force Chair - Alexandra Simotta at [email protected].
If you are interested in joining the AI Task Force, we would love to have you. Please let us hear from you.