As the second half of 2025 unfolds, artificial intelligence and contract analytics have quickly risen to the top of the strategic priority list for general counsel, according to a new Gartner report.
Global research and advisory firm Gartner has identified artificial intelligence and contract analytics as the two most urgent strategic priorities for general counsel in the second half of 2025.
A survey of 104 general counsel conducted in July by Gartner revealed that more than a third (36 per cent) plan to prioritise AI adoption and implementation within their teams before the end of the year.
Specifically, Laura Cohn, director, research in Gartner’s legal and compliance practice, said GCs are concentrating on three main AI objectives: “adopting AI, building AI skills in their department, or improving AI risk management in their organisations”.
Beyond the ongoing focus on AI, Gartner found that 9 per cent of general counsel are prioritising advanced contract analytics to better manage contract risks and reduce costs.
While not the most frequently cited priority, Gartner found that contract analytics outpaced several other traditionally high-priority areas, including “defending critical legal department initiatives/spend”.
Dian Zhang, senior research principal at Gartner’s legal, risk and compliance leaders practice, noted that contract analytics is becoming increasingly relevant and emerging as a top priority amid a “slowing economy”.
“In a slowing economy, contract analytics’ importance is growing, because it can help speed up contract processes, reveal risks, and identify renegotiation opportunities,” Zhang said.
“However, adoption remains challenging, with over a third of GCs (37 per cent) reporting relatively low confidence in using advanced contract analytics.”
Other top priorities highlighted by GCs in the survey included enhancing compliance risk detection through technology (7 per cent) and defending critical compliance program investments to keep pace with evolving business and regulatory requirements (7 per cent).
To help legal leaders navigate these priorities, Gartner has outlined four action areas for GCs in the latter half of 2025:
Sharpen AI risk management: “GC should focus on identifying and mitigating the most significant risks associated with organisational AI use, drawing on peer governance models to inform their approach,” it said.
Learn how other legal teams use GenAI: “GCs can accelerate AI adoption by learning how peer legal teams leverage generative AI (GenAI) to streamline operations and reduce costs. Reviewing real-world GenAI use cases – such as analysing enforcement trends or streamlining hotline case intake – helps identify high-impact, feasible applications.”
Upskill the legal team on AI: “Building AI literacy within the legal team is critical for effective adoption and risk management. GCs should leverage existing training resources, collaborate with IT, and draw on law firm best practices for GenAI prompt engineering.”
Prioritise contract analytics use cases: “GCs should focus on addressing key legal challenges and carefully evaluate the benefits, risks, and maturity of each potential application.”
