Hallucinations are lawyers’ top AI concern as use becomes nearly universal, LexisNexis finds

The useful part

To get the best experience please visit the Browse Happy site to download a better browser. The AI-dependent lawyer, found that 83% of UK legal professionals are concerned about lawyers relying on inaccurate or fabricated information. Hallucinations sit comfortably ahead of the other major AI worries identified by respondents, with 53% concerned about confidential data leaking and 52% wary of lawyers becoming too reliant on the technology.

How it works

• The survey of 543 UK legal professionals found that 94% now use AI for legal work, with 74% using it at least once a week and more than a third (34%) reaching for it every day.
• Legal research is now the most common AI use case, cited by 69% of respondents, followed by document summarisation (62%), while 53% use it for both drafting and document review.
• This growing reliance appears to be doing little to calm nerves about whether work can actually be trusted.
• Hallucinations top lawyers' AI worry list, research finds.
• Posts News Hallucinations top lawyers' AI worry list, research finds By Legal Cheek on Sep 6 2026 12:17pm 1 Follows series of high-profile blunders AI hallucinations are now the biggest concern for lawyers...

What to take from it

The findings come despite AI use now being almost universal across the profession. The 2027 Legal Cheek Firms Most List And lawyers aren't just using the tech to tidy up emails. More than three-quarters (77%) of those surveyed believe AI is causing clients or members of the public to misinterpret the law.

Example or evidence

• One in ten respondents now describe themselves as dependent on AI to do their jobs, rising to 15% at large law firms and 13% among in-house lawyers.
• artificial intelligence Label Name Email Δ Label Name Email Δ 1 Comment Oldest Newest Most Voted Pumphole of the Uxbridge Mags 25 days ago That's why I don't use it!

Details worth keeping

Concerns also stretch beyond lawyers themselves.

Related coverage

• Abovethelaw: While the technology is new, the duty to understand how it works is not.
• Valawyersweekly: Legal tech companies develop tools to detect AI hallucinations in court filings, helping lawyers avoid sanctions for fake citations and fabricated cases.
• Abovethelaw: To conclude AI hallucinations are just a lazy lawyer problem ignores the world lawyers work in.
• Valawyersweekly: New legal tech tools like Cite Sentinel and Clearbrief help lawyers detect ai hallucinations in court filings to prevent sanctions for fake citations.