SAN FRANCISCO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–In-house legal teams leveraging GC AI report a significant increase in productivity and cost savings, according to a new return-on-investment (ROI) study released by the company. Conducted in December 2025, the analysis of over 100 active GC AI customers revealed that these teams reclaim an average of 14 hours weekly, translating to more than one-third of the standard workweek, while simultaneously enhancing the speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness of their legal operations.
The study, which compared the performance of GC AI with generalist AI tools, found that power users—those in the 90th percentile—reported an average recovery of over five hours per day. In addition to time savings, organizations using GC AI experienced a 14% reduction in outside counsel expenses and achieved 21% greater accuracy in task execution compared to alternatives.
“Other companies talk about ROI. We have the data,” stated Cecilia Ziniti, co-founder and CEO of GC AI. “The takeaway is simple: legal AI is meaningfully changing in-house work—replacing hours of manual effort and outside counsel dependence with faster, higher-quality in-house execution.” The financial implications of these findings are substantial, especially as companies spend an average of $1.8 million annually on outside counsel. A 14% reduction could lead to annual savings of approximately $252,000, significantly outweighing the cost of the AI software.
Testimonies from users illustrate the transformative impact of GC AI. Wendra Liang, a Legal Counsel at Vercel, highlighted that the tool has minimized reliance on external legal advice, saying, “I don’t need to call a copyright lawyer for this question anymore. I have a copyright lawyer on my phone or on my desktop.” Similarly, Cameron Clark, Head of Legal at Arc’teryx, emphasized that “we couldn’t do our job without GC AI. The use cases are so broad—from comms to contracts to strategy—it pays for itself in weeks.”
Beyond immediate time and cost benefits, users reported reallocating recovered time towards strategic advising, proactive risk management, and improved collaboration across departments, contributing to more sustainable workloads. This shift mirrors broader trends in the legal sector; a survey from GC AI notes a significant increase in AI adoption among legal professionals. In June 2024, only 56% of surveyed lawyers claimed to never use AI in their work. By December 2025, that figure had flipped, with 55% reporting daily or hourly usage of AI tools.
The methodology for the ROI analysis involved a structured survey that captured self-reported data reflecting time savings, perceived accuracy versus generalist AI tools, and changes in spending on outside counsel. This approach aimed to provide a realistic assessment of the technology’s impact on legal workflows.
As GC AI continues to gain traction, it positions itself as a leading AI workspace for in-house legal teams, enhancing operational efficiency while ensuring adherence to industry standards of accuracy and security. The company serves more than 1,200 legal teams, including over 50 public companies and 25 unicorns, alongside notable enterprises such as Webflow, Bass Pro Shops, Hitachi, Vercel, and Liquid Death. Founded by Ziniti and Bardia Pourvakil, GC AI blends deep legal expertise with cutting-edge engineering to help organizations leverage legal capabilities as a competitive advantage.
As the legal landscape evolves, the integration of specialized AI tools like GC AI could redefine how legal work is conducted, making it increasingly efficient and cost-effective. The growing acceptance and use of these technologies signal a transformative era for in-house legal teams.
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