Survey Spotlight: AI Gains Ground, But Human Legal Pros Still Drive the Deal

DocJuris recently surveyed 360 in-house legal professionals to gauge how artificial intelligence (AI) is shaping legal workflows and where the human element remains essential. The findings? AI is here, it’s accelerating, but it hasn’t (and may never) replace the uniquely human dimensions of negotiation, strategy, and judgment.

The survey, conducted as part of the Association of Corporate Counsel’s Legal Ops Con held in Chicago in April 2025, formed the basis for a report entitled: “What DocJuris Learned at ACC Legal Ops 2025: AI and The Human Factor.”

Half of respondents report using Microsoft Copilot for legal work, with ChatGPT (34%) and Gemini (11%) also making notable inroads. Yet 26% report not using AI at all, highlighting a significant adoption gap. AI is primarily used for automated redlining and clause extraction (both at 15%), and 6% use it for contract drafts, but a majority (65%) don’t use it for any of those applications. 

A striking 66% of respondents say that AI will reduce the number of lawyers required for contract negotiation, but the technology won’t replace them entirely. The survey also asked respondents if parties using AI agents could reach an optimal deal. Most respondents (71%) said it depends on the contract complexity and the parties involved. 

When asked what AI struggles with most, respondents pointed to engaging in persuasion and relationship management (36%) and understanding business and negotiation context (28%).

Risk assessment is another area where the human touch remains critical. A full 63% believe AI sometimes misses key issues or flags irrelevant ones, indicating that the technology is still maturing in terms of legal judgment.

Legal ops professionals are gaining confidence in using AI, though: 53% are “somewhat confident” that they can craft effective prompts for contract redlining, although they also noted that the AI sometimes misinterprets their intent. Still, 37% admit they lack prompt engineering skills or didn’t realize AI prompting was needed.

“AI can redline with precision, flag risks with speed, and draft contracts at scale,” said Henal Patel, CEO of DocJuris. “But when it comes to negotiation, the human factor remains irreplaceable. True dealmaking requires more than algorithms; it demands emotional intelligence, strategic concession, and an instinct for nuance that only people bring to the table.”

The message from this year’s ACC conference is clear: AI is a valuable tool, but human insight remains the cornerstone of high-stakes legal work. Legal operations leaders must invest in both tech and talent to strike the right balance.