Bloomberg Law State of Practice 2026: 83% of US Legal Practitioners Now Use AI at Work

Bloomberg Law's first State of Practice survey (2026, reported DraftWise Briefing August 3) found that 83% of US legal practitioners now use AI at work — establishing a new baseline for adoption measurement. The survey is the first Bloomberg Law State of Practice report, giving it significance as an annual benchmark going forward. DraftWise's accompanying AI briefing noted that the adoption story has flipped: law firm leadership was early to champion AI, but general counsel are now moving faster. FTI Consulting and Relativity's 2026 General Counsel Report (224 GC/CLO respondents) found 87% of legal departments use GenAI — nearly double last year's 44% — with firms with a formal technology roadmap jumping to 53% of legal departments, up from 25% a year ago. For mid-sized firm leaders: the 83% adoption figure means AI use is now table stakes, not a differentiator. The 53% of legal departments with a formal technology roadmap (up from 25%) signals that in-house teams are entering the next phase of strategic deployment. Mid-sized firms without a formal AI roadmap are now in the minority — and increasingly out of step with their clients.