Law firms risk “automating chaos” by adopting artificial intelligence without first fixing fragmented systems, poor data and inefficient processes, conveyancing technology experts have warned.
Research unveiled at InfoTrack’s Digital Conveyancing Summit shows widespread experimentation with AI across the legal sector but much lower levels of firm-wide adoption.
Some 69% of respondents to the 2026 Digital Conveyancing Maturity Index describe their use of AI as individual experimentation, while 18% have rolled it out across a team and just 14% say it is embedded as standard practice.
The findings come despite the overall Digital Maturity Score for law firms rising from 54.4% in 2024 to 59.8% in 2026.
‘DON’T AUTOMATE CHAOS’
Experts at the summit warned that firms need to address existing weaknesses in their processes before using AI to automate them.
Rich Hill, Chief Technology Officer at InfoTrack, says falling technology costs are helping to accelerate adoption but technology itself is not necessarily the biggest challenge.
He says: “The challenge is putting a proper strategy and framework in place to allow everyone to use it with purpose, precision and productivity in mind.”
Angela Morreale-Devereaux, Legal Specialist at LawY, says firms also need to understand how employees are actually using the technology.
She says: “Some firms are really forward thinking about tech and want to train staff in everything that is available. But I’ve been speaking to lots of people who don’t know what to do with the tools.”
KEEP HUMANS INVOLVED
The summit also heard warnings against assuming every part of the conveyancing process should be automated.
Peter Ambrose, Managing Director at The Partnership, says: “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. If you have a software vendor who says it can do everything for you, don’t listen. Some things humans need to do.”
InfoTrack also warns that uncoordinated use of general AI tools could create risks around confidential client information.
Sam Jordan, Chief Operating Officer at InfoTrack UK, says: “Conveyancers are on the whole embracing AI. The challenge now is to shift away from individual experimentation to a more coordinated, firmwide approach underpinned by a clear AI strategy.
“Problems occur when people use technology that isn’t designed for conveyancing or legal practice. If you’re letting people use any kind of AI, client data can end up disappearing into open models.”
DEEPFAKE THREAT
The increasing sophistication of AI-enabled fraud is creating another challenge for property transactions, with conveyancers warned that criminals can now use deepfake technology to impersonate clients.
Paul Clements, Product Manager at InfoTrack, says: “For decades, identity fraud in property transactions meant a forged signature, a stolen passport, or literally someone in a bad wig sitting across the table.
“Today’s fraudster doesn’t need to leave home. Generative AI can clone a face, a voice, and a signature well enough to pass a video call or a document check and do it at scale.”
Almost 500 lawyers and technology specialists attended the Digital Conveyancing Summit in London.
