AI weakens time as the default proxy for value

Clio’s pricing strategy analysis argues that AI makes time a less reliable proxy for value and pushes firms toward firm-wide pricing intelligence, standardized scoping and feedback loops. It says many firms are moving toward a pricing portfolio of hourly, fixed, hybrid and subscription models based on matter predictability. Midmarket firms can use AI gains to protect margin and improve predictability, but only if they stop treating faster work as a threat to revenue and start redesigning fees around outcomes.