More than half of Victoria’s lawyers have reported using AI in their work, according to a new study, but just over a quarter say they have reduced fees as a result of efficiency gains.

They also say clients seeking advice from chatbots have added to their workload, forcing them to correct errors made by AI.

The 2026 census of 2,221 of the state’s lawyers, conducted by the Victorian Legal Services Board and Commissioner’s legal services research centre, found a big increase in lawyers using AI in their practices, rising from 37% to 55% in the last year.

While the 2025 report found AI use was highest among those under 30 years of age, in 2026 this disparity had largely disappeared, although usage remained low for those aged 60 and over.

AI use was most common in trade practices (85%), banking and finance (78%) and information technology and telecommunications (78%), while it was used much less in criminal law (29%), family law (45%) and administrative law (46%).

While there are AI tools designed…