Artificial intelligence is making rapid inroads into daily life, from automating administrative tasks to transforming healthcare—but would you trust it to handle your legal affairs? A new survey suggests many would. According to research by legal consultancy The Legal Director, half of UK adults say they would trust AI to make legal decisions, sparking both curiosity and concern across the legal profession.
The survey of over 2,000 adults found that 50% would choose AI over a solicitor for legal decision-making, while 56% would trust it to interpret contracts or complex terms and conditions. That figure climbed among younger generations and male respondents, with 60% of Gen Z participants and 55% of men expressing confidence in AI’s legal capabilities. By contrast, only 39% of respondents aged over 75 said they would consider relying on AI for legal matters.
Surprisingly, one in three said they would trust AI over friends for legal advice, and nearly half would consult it before seeking health guidance. Yet while the appetite for AI-powered solutions is rising, legal experts are urging the public to approach such tools with caution.
“Legal services can be costly, so it’s understandable that people are exploring AI as an alternative,” said Kiley Tan, a lawyer at The Legal Director. “But while the answers AI generates may sound convincing, they can be dangerously inaccurate. In legal matters, ‘almost right’ isn’t good enough.”
Tan explained that AI systems, particularly large language models, often lack access to real-world, legally binding documents, which limits their ability to provide accurate advice or create enforceable contracts. Many legal materials remain confidential or behind paywalls, making it difficult for AI to learn from them.
Although AI is praised for its efficiency, public trust in the technology drops significantly when tasks become more personal. Two-thirds of respondents said they wouldn’t let AI perform surgery on themselves or loved ones, and more than half would not rely on it to manage bills or plan events like weddings.
Sarah Clark, Chief Revenue Officer at The Legal Director, stressed that legal work requires more than just technical accuracy. “AI is powerful when it comes to data, but law is not just data—it’s context, emotion, consequence. That kind of judgement is something only humans can provide.”
Even among the most tech-savvy demographic—those aged 18 to 29—nearly 40% said they wouldn’t trust AI to read a contract on their behalf, and 43% wouldn’t fully rely on it for legal advice.
While 15% of respondents said they would trust AI to handle all legal tasks surveyed, the broader results show that human expertise still holds critical value. As Clark concluded, “AI should assist lawyers—not replace them. When lives, livelihoods, and legal outcomes are on the line, there’s still no substitute for a trained professional.”
