GenAI adoption doubles across legal, tax & risk sectors

Generative AI (GenAI) adoption in the professional services sector has nearly doubled in the past year, according to new research from the Thomson Reuters Institute.

The 2025 Generative AI in Professional Services Report draws on insights from nearly 1,800 professionals globally, spanning the legal, tax, accounting, corporate risk, and government sectors. Findings show that 22% of organisations are now actively using GenAI, up from 12% in the previous year, and that positive sentiment towards the technology has risen by 11%.

The research points to a pivotal moment for professional services, as technology adoption is now being matched by increasing demands for strategic integration into core business processes. The report discusses the urgent questions organisations face regarding internal policies, training, communication with clients, and new business models as GenAI becomes more central to workflows.

Laura Clayton McDonnell, President of the Corporates Segment at Thomson Reuters, said: "GenAI is transforming business by breaking down silos and cutting through information overload. It is an essential tool for enhancing efficiency and decision-making. With GenAI adoption in corporate tax departments rising to 75%, up 20% in one-year, corporate leaders can now make more timely and well-informed decisions when assessing corporate global expansion, mergers and acquisitions, and the impact of changing tariffs. Additionally, in the legal and risk sectors, GenAI is increasingly seen as an ally, streamlining document-intensive tasks and improving decision-making. Thomson Reuters is proud to support our customers with content-driven AI technology to empower them as strategic advisors and catalysts for business transformation."

Across the corporate sector, 95% of professionals surveyed expected GenAI to be central to their workflow within five years. However, the skill remains mostly desirable rather than essential in hiring, and 64% had received no training in utilising GenAI for their industry work. Despite this, 90% of corporate legal, 92% of corporate tax, and 88% of corporate risk professionals believe GenAI has clear applicability within their fields, with corporate tax professionals showing the strongest advocacy.

The report highlights notable momentum in the tax sector, with enterprise GenAI adoption among tax firms rising from 8% in 2024 to 21% in 2025. The attitudes of tax and accounting professionals towards the technology have shifted significantly, with 71% now believing GenAI should be integrated into daily work, up from 52%. Despite growing client interest—77% of tax firm clients want their firms to use GenAI—awareness of adoption remains limited, with 59% of clients unsure if GenAI is being used by their provider.

Elizabeth Beastrom, President of Tax & Accounting Professionals at Thomson Reuters, commented: "What we're witnessing is a transformation in how tax, audit and accounting professionals view AI technology. This surge in adoption positions the accounting profession as one of the fastest-growing industries for GenAI acceptance among professional services. The data clearly shows that initial scepticism is rapidly giving way to recognition of GenAI's potential to enhance productivity and client service delivery. Firms that aren't making the best use of GenAI for their accountancy and tax work risk falling behind their peers in terms of efficiency."

For legal professionals, GenAI usage nearly doubled from 14% in 2024 to 26% in 2025. Some 45% of law firm respondents say they either use GenAI already or plan to make it a central part of their workflow within the coming year. While 89% of respondents believe AI can be applied to legal work, 48% reported that their firms still do not have formal GenAI policies.

Raghu Ramanathan, President of Legal Professionals at Thomson Reuters, said: "It is incredible how quickly legal professionals have moved from scepticism to strategic adoption of GenAI, and we are seeing it firsthand through use of our AI solutions. The legal sector is embracing GenAI not as a threat but as an ally, and this isn't about replacing legal expertise—it's about enhancing it. We're helping law firms through the beginning of a fundamental transformation in how legal work gets done, and firms that develop thoughtful governance frameworks will gain a competitive advantage. The challenge isn't technological but organisational—how to integrate these powerful tools while addressing legitimate ethical concerns unique to legal practice. Firms that strike this balance will define the next era of legal service delivery."

The report also notes that only 10% of law firm professionals perceive GenAI as a significant threat to revenue, while 50% are excited or hopeful about the future of generative AI, regarding it as a complementary tool to professional expertise.