What is thought to be the first large-scale look at the public use of AI chatbots has revealed that around a sixth of people who have faced a legal issue over the past year have used an AI chatbot for help, advice, or information.
The study, conducted by charity JUSTICE and the Administrative Fairness Lab, surveyed 3,287 people across the UK and found almost half (1,428) had experienced a legal dispute in the last two years and, among them, 233 people used an AI chatbot to discuss the issue.
The AI chatbots were predominantly used to seek assistance with common legal problems that largely fall outside the scope of legal aid, such as housing, employment, debt, consumer issues, and family law.
The research, which included 77 participants sharing the transcripts of their AI legal queries, raises concerns regarding the unmet needs of those facing legal issues, JUSTICE suggested.
It found that users commonly asked the chatbots to explain legal jargon, check advice from lawyers, draft complaints and emails, and provide emotional reassurance.
Participants described feeling frightened about court proceedings, worried about losing their job, and overwhelmed by the uncertainty of ongoing disputes.
The extent of chatbot use in the sample varied by age. Among 18-24-year-olds, 26% of those with a recent legal problem had used a chatbot, compared with 10% of those aged 55 to 64.
This is not explained by younger respondents having a greater incidence of legal problems, since this was broadly flat across all age bands in the sample.
However, the study suggests that chatbots being used to supplement other sources of help rather than replacing them.
Only 6% of users relied on the AI tool alone, with the average chatbot user taking information from other sources such as search engines, Government websites, legal advice centres or family members.
Those using AI were less likely than non-AI users to have obtained help from a solicitor or barrister as well (33.9% of chatbot users versus 44.6% of non-users), but somewhat more likely to have gone to Citizens Advice or a legal advice helpline, JUSTICE said.
The charity also noted that anecdotal reports suggest the legal advice sector is struggling to process increasingly large amounts of AI-generated documentation brought to them by people seeking advice.
The analysis meanwhile indicates that users of chatbots, tend to be younger, male and employed, highlighting a disparity in access to legal support, according to JUSTICE.
It added that those who are digitally excluded, particularly women, older individuals, and the unemployed, may face escalating unmet legal needs, suggesting that the justice gap is widening rather than closing with the introduction of such technologies.
Ellen Lefley, Deputy Legal Director at JUSTICE, said: "The question is not whether AI becomes part of people’s legal journeys - it already is. This research provides a unique insight into who is using it and how. The challenge now is ensuring people receive reliable support, while addressing the unmet legal needs that drive some towards AI in the first place."
Dr Jed Meers, Administrative Fairness Lab co-director, said: "Rising demand across the courts and tribunals system has a complex set of drivers. What our research shows is that people are using these tools when they run into all kinds of legal problems and are already doing so in significant numbers. As the use of these tools grows, they’ll become an even more important part of the picture."
Harry Rodd
