How AI is Reshaping the Pro Bono Landscape

By Nihad Mansour, Associate Director, Law Firm Pro Bono Project, and Innovation Specialist

AI is no longer a theoretical concept in pro bono. Instead, it is an evolving set of tools that organizations are testing, adopting, and in some cases, building themselves. Recent insights from sessions at the Pro Bono Institute (PBI) 2026 Annual Conference, the PBI 2026 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge^® Report, and the 2026 Global Pro Bono Guide, a collaboration between Latham & Watkins, PBI, and the Thomson Reuters Foundation, show that the question is no longer whether AI belongs in pro bono, but how it can be used responsibly to advance pro bono and effectively serve low-income and underserved communities.

AI Adoption

AI adoption by pro bono teams is still early, and the numbers reflect that, but there is more a dynamic picture that emerges when looking at the organizations that are already engaging with AI tools.

Data from the 2026 Law Firm Challenge Report
For the second year, PBI, through its Law Firm Pro Bono project, surveyed Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge signatories about their adoption of automation tools and generative AI to support their pro bono practices. The data indicate that firms are making steady progress toward greater use of advanced technology in pro bono work, although adoption remains uneven.

Among the 74 firms that responded to questions about the use of advanced technology, 80% reported using advanced technology in some aspect of their pro bono work, up from 67% in 2024. Only 20% reported no use of advanced technology at all, and 75% indicated that they plan to start or increase their use of advanced technology in the coming year.

Primary use of this tech by responding firms focused on (1) legal research and case analysis, and (2) pro bono program communications. These use cases reflect a field that is cautiously but steadily moving toward greater use of advanced technology, focusing initially on internal coordination and support of legal work.

Data from the PBI 2026 Annual Conference
Of 78 Conference attendees who responded to the AI Use Survey, which include pro bono leaders from law firms, legal departments, and legal services organizations, 28% are currently using or planning to use AI in their pro bono work. Among AI adopters, 66% have less than two years of experience with these tools, and nearly a quarter are still in the planning phase.

Survey responses provided a small sample, from law firms, in-house legal departments, and public interest and legal services organizations, of the AI tools that are shaping early integration into pro bono programs.

Microsoft Copilot received the highest number of mentions, likely due to enterprise software integration, which allows organizations to incorporate AI into existing processes. Some respondents also noted legal-specific tools, such as Harvey and Westlaw AI. These tools may assist with legal work, including document review, case research, and brief drafting. General-purpose AI assistants like ChatGPT and Claude remain popular, due in part to their accessibility and lower cost of entry.

Most notably, eight attendees reported that their organizations are building custom, in-house AI solutions. This signals a move to tailor tools and solutions that address specific legal needs and specific workflows. As more custom models emerge, it presents an opportunity to share findings and replicate these approaches with legal services organizations and pro bono partners.

Primary AI use across respondents reflected a pragmatic approach where technology could be used to reduce friction without displacing legal judgment. The most common applications, include legal research, administrative tasks, planning and strategy, drafting and editing first‑pass documents, creating templates and forms, and document review.

Global Innovation

While the Law Firm Challenge Report and the Conference AI Use Survey featured primarily U.S.-based respondents, it is not the full picture of innovative technology in access to justice. The 2026 Global Pro Bono Guide highlights a growing number of AI-powered tools that are being utilized around the world to expand and improve the delivery of pro bono legal services.

In Australia, Justice Connect launched SmartAssist, a natural language processing tool that generates plain-language summaries of legal issues. In Argentina, the Justibot chatbot provides court users with information about procedures, required documents, and deadlines. Similar tools are emerging across the globe, including Thailand’s LAW-U, Hong Kong’s Pobot, and Pakistan’s NAZ Assist.

While these tools have rapidly expanded in use and ability, there have been many bar associations and regulators around the globe responding to these developments to address whether these technologies are adopted ethically and responsibly. For example, the EU Artificial Intelligence Act imposes transparency and human oversight requirements for high-risk AI systems. These checks will be crucial to managing key risks, including inaccurate outputs and algorithmic bias, to ensure this technology is successfully implemented.

Opportunities Ahead

As legal needs continue to rise, the pro bono community has an opportunity to harness technology in ways that expand both capacity and impact. While many organizations are still in the early stages of adoption, the examples highlighted at the PBI 2026 Annual Conference and in the 2026 Law Firm Pro Bono Challenge Report and 2026 Global Pro Bono Guide demonstrate the growing potential of AI and other advance technology to support pro bono service delivery.

Organizations that invest thoughtfully in these tools — and pair innovation with ethical oversight, human judgment, and a clear focus on client needs — will be better positioned to reach more clients, engage more volunteers, and strengthen access to justice.

PBI encourages the legal profession to explore how company-wide technology investments can be leveraged to support pro bono work and expand impact. As my role with PBI expands to include being an Innovation Specialist, I am here as a resource to help your organization evaluate emerging tools and identify opportunities for technology and automation to scale and sustain your pro bono efforts.