Everlaw's 2026 AI report has landed, offering a largely upbeat assessment of artificial intelligence's role in the legal profession. The report appears to frame AI adoption and its benefits in a positive light, consistent with the perspective of a legal technology vendor showcasing its market.
However, Above the Law's coverage strikes a more cautious tone, explicitly warning that "some of the report's conclusions may be optimistic" and that there is "a need to look at them critically." This pushback is notable because it comes from a well-known legal industry publication, not from a competing vendor.
The disagreement is not about specific data points but about interpretation. While Everlaw's report presumably highlights progress and opportunity, the critical response serves as a reminder that vendor-generated research often carries inherent bias. For law firms and legal professionals, the takeaway is straightforward: treat such reports as a starting point for inquiry, not as an authoritative forecast.