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Saudi lawyers and legal consultants have stressed that artificial intelligence while useful for accelerating workflows and enhancing efficiency in research and drafting cannot substitute for human expertise in key areas such as evidence assessment legal qualification and advocacy according to Okaz newspaper on July 23 2026. The legal experts told the Saudi publication that AI tools are increasingly used for document review case analysis and preliminary drafting. However they warned that full reliance on AI could lead to the application of outdated laws inaccurate rulings or weak legal reasoning in addition to potential breaches of client confidentiality and inadequate data protection.
Lawyer Saad Ali Al-Husseini Al-Shahrani told Okaz that AI can help analyse facts and prepare initial drafts but all outputs must undergo human review. He noted that predicting case outcomes remains uncertain as final judgments depend on evidence arguments and judicial discretion. Al-Shahrani’s assessment underscores the importance of professional oversight even as technology advances in the legal field.
Lawyer Abir Daghriri told the newspaper that AI can support information gathering and idea organisation but cannot serve as a fundamental pillar of legal practice. She added that each case has unique circumstances requiring professional judgment. The comments reflect a growing debate within Saudi Arabia’s legal community about the appropriate boundaries for AI integration.
A PwC survey has found that 75 percent of employees in the Middle East use AI tools at work surpassing the global average of 69 percent.[[1]](https://chambers.com/topics/middle-east-ai-uae-saudi-arabia) Saudi Arabia is the most active legal AI market in the MENA region with at least seven Arabic-native legal AI products serving users an industry guide published in June 2026 reported.[[2]](https://www.haqq.ai/blog/legal-ai-saudi-arabia-2026) The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority is developing frameworks for ethical AI standards according to regional analyses of technology adoption.
Risks of overreliance on AI in legal practice extend to liability issues cyber breaches and jeopardising client confidentiality a Stanford Law School overview found.[[3]](https://law.stanford.edu/juelsgaard-intellectual-property-and-innovation-clinic/risks-of-ai-in-legal-practice/) Similar concerns have been raised by legal bodies worldwide including warnings from bar associations about the potential for AI to generate false or biased information. Legal practitioners in the kingdom are therefore advocating for mandatory human review of all AI-assisted work to mitigate these hazards.
The adoption of AI in law firms across the region has more than doubled in recent years with surveys indicating over 50 percent of corporate legal departments now utilising the technology. Yet experts continue to emphasise that while AI offers substantial efficiency gains it must be paired with rigorous professional scrutiny to maintain the integrity of legal services. This balanced approach aligns with Saudi Arabia’s broader strategy to lead in artificial intelligence while safeguarding professional standards.
