AI adoption may be rising across the professional services sector, but Thomson Reuters says many firms are still struggling to turn that activity into measurable value.
The company’s 2026 Future of Professionals report, based on a global survey of 1,800 professionals across the legal, tax, audit, and risk sectors, warns that the gap between AI ambition and execution is beginning to carry real business consequences.
According to Thomson Reuters, 74% of professionals are now using AI tools every week. But 91% believe their organizations are falling short of what AI can deliver, creating a growing divide between firms that are operationalizing AI and those still trying to translate experimentation into everyday workflows.
“We’re seeing a clear divide emerge,” said Steve Hasker, President and CEO of Thomson Reuters. “Firms that are operationalizing AI are pulling ahead. Those that aren’t are starting to take on real risk, across talent, clients, and financial performance. Closing that execution gap is now a business imperative for professional firms.”
The report points to three areas where that execution gap is already showing up: risk, talent, and client relationships.
One of the clearest warning signs is the rise of shadow AI. Thomson Reuters found that one-third of lawyers, accountants, and compliance professionals are using AI tools that their organizations have not approved. Among professionals who say their organization is moving too slowly on AI, that figure rises to 41%.
That creates a particular concern in legal and regulated environments, where confidentiality, verification, and accountability are essential. According to the report, 96% of professionals say their AI must safeguard confidential data, 94% require verified authoritative content, and 90% need outputs they can explain and defend. Yet 41% say they lack access to professional-grade tools that meet those standards.
Talent is also becoming a pressure point. One in four professionals who see a gap between what AI can do and what their organization is delivering say they would consider leaving within two years. Thirteen percent say they would consider leaving within 12 months.
Access to professional-grade AI is also becoming part of the recruiting equation. Thomson Reuters found that 62% of professionals say access to those tools would be a factor in accepting a new role. Among those already using professional-grade AI, nearly one-third said they would turn down a role without it.
Clients are applying pressure as well. Seventy-eight percent of corporate clients now consider AI-enabled quality improvements very important or essential, but only 6% believe most providers are delivering them. Within the next 12 months, 32% of clients say they will reconsider provider relationships, with Thomson Reuters estimating that roughly $143 billion in U.S. legal and accounting revenue is under active reconsideration based on AI delivery.
“Not all AI is created equal. In professions where there is real liability, the standard has to be much higher,” said Hasker. “When outputs shape legal judgments, regulatory filings, or client advice, ‘almost right’ isn’t good enough.”
Thomson Reuters says that higher standard is what it defines as Fiduciary-Grade AI: technology built on authoritative, domain-specific content; strong privacy and security; subject-matter expertise; transparent and verifiable outputs; and access to real-time human support.
For law firms and legal departments, the message from the report is straightforward. AI adoption is no longer the main challenge. The bigger question is whether organizations can implement it in a way that lawyers, clients, and regulators can trust.