Build vs. Buy AI: Technology and Talent Choices in 2026—Webinar

While generative AI rapidly redefines operational efficiency, law departments and risk executives face a critical paradigm shift: decisions around talent must now precede, rather than follow, the technology itself.

A recent webinar from Today’s General Counsel and TruLegal explores how the democratization of vibe coding and custom AI tools is changing the traditional software procurement model, and why human judgment, curiosity, and adaptability now dictate legal technology success.

The session, “Build or Buy AI: Technology and Talent Choices in 2026,” features a roundtable discussion of legal leaders, including Zeno Capucci, Chief Legal and Risk Officer, DocPlanner. During the discussion, Capucci summarizes the shift in how legal professionals must view their evolving roles: “Legal professionals are increasingly moving from being the doers of the work into being the builders of the systems that do the work.”

Key takeaways from the session:

• Re-evaluate off-the-shelf software against internal build capabilities: Advances in no-code/vibe-coding tools allow internal legal ops and lawyers to build tailored workflows and automated tools in-house, replacing standard software as a service (SaaS) products while avoiding heavy customization queues and vendor lock-in.
• Prioritize data governance and privilege in vendor procurement: Defaulting to off-the-shelf tools requires rigorous initial vetting of data processing terms, AI use policies, data retention windows, and model training parameters before reviewing product features.
• Shift from subject-matter doers to technically curious system builders: Organizations are prioritizing “technically curious generalists” and change agents over pure subject-matter experts, hiring professionals who continuously adapt and optimize processes rather than manually executing repetitive tasks.
• Demand cost transparency and value from outside counsel: As external law firms adopt generative AI to increase efficiency, in-house teams are updating outside counsel guidelines to audit AI usage, protect privilege, and ensure cost savings are passed along to the client.

Aligning your AI technology investments with an adaptable, empowered workforce is essential for driving long-term organizational velocity. Watch the full recording to learn how your team can balance build-versus-buy decisions and cultivate an AI-enabled legal department.