Evolution of the legal tech market: from AI adolescence to maturity

AI adoption in the legal sector is becoming increasingly widespread, even though this technology is still in an adolescent phase that requires guidance and understanding. Starting from a snapshot of the legal tech market and specialized AI in 2026, we will address current shortcomings by exploring three still-open frontiers that could project this technology toward its adult stage: reasoning over interconnected sources, greater fidelity to legal reasoning, and the explainability of outputs. The underlying thesis is that AI, currently in its adolescence, will not mature on its own in the direction that is most useful to us. Users have the ability to influence this process by understanding the technology and taking an active role in driving the necessary improvements. For legal professionals, awareness and a constructive mindset will therefore not represent a mere added value; rather, they will be the necessary condition for helping to “steer the bus” of legal AI and preserve the added value of their own work.