GenAI Adoption Gains Momentum in Legal Ops

Relativity’s Kristy Esparza reports that generative artificial intelligence is reshaping the way legal departments operate, offering higher levels of speed, cost efficiency, and defensibility. According to the panelists on a series of Relativity webinars, GenAI adoption requires careful planning, stakeholder alignment, and a willingness to experiment. 

Starting small has emerged as a common strategy, with internal investigations and quality control cited as low-risk, high-value use cases. Such projects allow teams to measure results, refine prompts, and build confidence before scaling. Seeing results on internal data rather than test sets has proven especially persuasive for skeptical stakeholders. 

Beyond technology, successful GenAI adoption requires upfront investment in stakeholder engagement and training. GenAI delivers the strongest results when organizations invest early in preparation by building internal knowledge, setting clear expectations, and ensuring the right stakeholders are engaged. Success also depends on training in-house teams and outside counsel to use the tools effectively. Framing AI adoption as an opportunity, rather than a threat, helps secure buy-in across departments.

Security remains a top concern. According to several panelists, organizations want assurance about where data is stored, how it is processed, and whether AI outputs can be validated. Select a vendor that prioritizes transparency, security by design, and features such as citations that link AI outputs to source documents. These safeguards will ensure trust in the technology.

The panelists recommended broadening collaboration beyond the legal team by involving outside counsel and service providers as partners. As technology evolves rapidly, adaptability is crucial. Continuous learning and experimentation will therefore position legal teams and their partners to maximize the benefits of new capabilities resulting from GenAI adoption.