The Goldman Sachs report released this week saying generative AI could automate 44% of legal tasks in the U.S. is a watershed moment for legal departments, according to general counsel and other experts, signaling perhaps the biggest shift in how lawyers work since the arrival of the internet.

In-house attorneys and consultants say the technology will accelerate attorneys’ transition away from rote work to high-value-add tasks. And while it’s difficult to predict exactly how changes will play out, they say legal departments likely will maintain and grow their workforces but in some cases scale back their reliance on pricey outside counsel.