AI adoption gap and resistance to change

ILTA's annual technology survey will be published later this month. Before the full survey, the editors shared their executive summary.

Here are two takeaways:

Adoption of GenAI Tools: The Divide Between Large and Small Firms

Generative AI (GenAI) tools, such as Microsoft Copilot, are increasingly being implemented across law firms, but the survey reveals a clear gap in adoption between larger and smaller firms.

Larger firms, particularly those with more than 700 lawyers, are leading the charge, with nearly 50% having pilots of tools like Microsoft Copilot underway. In contrast, smaller firms with fewer than 50 lawyers are far more hesitant, with only 4% running similar pilots.

This disparity is largely driven by factors such as cost, expertise, and the availability of internal resources for technology integration. Smaller firms are often constrained by limited budgets and fewer dedicated IT staff, making it harder for them to be early adopters.

Resistance to Change and Lack of Skills: The Biggest Hurdles to Adoption

Despite the potential benefits of emerging technologies, including GenAI, the two biggest barriers to adoption remain “resistance to change” and “lack of user skills/understanding,” both cited by 54% of respondents.

This indicates that even when technology is available, firms struggle to implement it effectively due to cultural challenges and a lack of proper training. These issues are compounded by a lack of time for learning, with 42% of respondents noting that timekeepers do not have enough time to train on new systems.

These probably aren't a surprise to anyone but highlight the need for good training and thoughtful focus on the design of legaltech applications.