Major clients press firms to convert AI efficiency into pricing value

On September 25, the Financial Times reported that Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley and Citi were among corporate buyers pressing law firms to pass through AI-related savings, while Revolut chief legal officer Tom Hambrett described moving work away from traditional panel loyalty toward value and quality. The report also cited Persuit data indicating that roughly 80% of services run through its platform now use alternative fee arrangements. For law firm client teams, the demand signal is not simply for lower rates: buyers want a defensible link between changed effort, price and service outcome. Firms will need matter-level evidence and clearer scoping if they want AI-enabled efficiency to support margin rather than become an undifferentiated discount.