ABA Journal: Legal Rebels What's on tap for 2026 when it comes to generative AI?
Jan 14, 2026
Oliver Roberts, a legal tech entrepreneur and AI expert, dives into the future of generative AI in the legal field. He discusses the increasing adoption of AI tools, predicting a shift from hype to more practical applications in 2026. Oliver highlights the importance of AI in accelerating young lawyers' careers and the need for federal guidelines to prevent a patchwork of state regulations. He also emphasizes the implications of California's rules on national policy and the necessity for ethical practices in law schools' AI education.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Hype Falls, Adoption Keeps Rising
- Hype around generative AI will cool, but practical adoption will keep growing in legal tech and practice.
- Models are improving and costs to use them are falling, driving broader integration.
Judges Will Experiment — And Sometimes Err
- The judiciary will experiment more with AI for memos, summaries, and opinions in 2026.
- Increased experimentation will likely produce high-profile errors and hallucinated citations.
Agentic Systems Versus Chatbots
- Agentic AI means autonomous systems that plan and execute multi-step tasks without constant human prompts.
- The technical difference matters, but lawyers ultimately care whether tools improve quality and efficiency.