Goldman Sachs Warns 17% of US Legal Jobs Face AI Automation Risk
Goldman Sachs reports about 17% of U.S. legal jobs face AI automation risk, impacting roughly 228,000 lawyers. However, AI cannot yet replace human judgment and trust in legal work.
Updated: Around 17% of Legal Jobs Are at AI Risk – Goldman Sachs
18th August 2025
A recent report from Goldman Sachs sheds light on the impact of AI automation on the legal sector. The analysis suggests that if 2.5% of all U.S. employment is at risk of AI automation, then approximately 0.14% of total U.S. employment falls within the legal sector’s exposure. Given the total U.S. employment number of 163.8 million, this translates to roughly 228,000 legal professionals potentially affected.
According to the American Bar Association (ABA), there are about 1,322,000 lawyers in the U.S. This means that around 17.2% of lawyers could be exposed to AI automation risks. While this is significantly lower than the 44% estimate from two years ago, when Goldman Sachs predicted nearly half of legal tasks might be automated, 17% still represents a substantial number.
What Does This Mean for Legal Professionals?
Exposure to AI automation risk does not automatically equate to job loss. The key challenge remains the "last mile"—the level of trust and confidence needed for AI systems to complete legal tasks independently without human oversight.
Many legal tasks require nuanced judgment, ethical considerations, and client trust—areas where AI still faces limitations. As a result, the full replacement of lawyers by AI is not currently expected.
Moving Forward with AI in Legal Work
- About 17% of legal jobs may be affected by AI automation, but mass unemployment is unlikely.
- Lawyers can focus on skills that complement AI, such as critical thinking, negotiation, and client relations.
- Understanding which tasks AI can support may help legal professionals work smarter, not harder.
For legal professionals interested in how AI might impact their work or to develop AI skills relevant to their career, exploring targeted AI training can be valuable. Resources like Complete AI Training’s courses for legal professionals offer practical knowledge to stay ahead.
Ultimately, the legal profession is adapting. AI will automate some tasks, but human expertise remains essential for delivering trusted legal services.
