iManage has released its iManage Knowledge Work 2026 Benchmark Report, warning that professional services firms without strong knowledge governance are struggling to turn AI trials into everyday results.
The global survey of 3,185 business and technology decision-makers across 26 countries found organisations with mature, well-governed knowledge foundations outperform peers on AI adoption, business performance and client trust.
The findings draw on iManage’s Knowledge Work Maturity Model, which measures how effectively businesses govern, connect and activate knowledge across people, processes and technology.
While AI adoption has reached a tipping point in professional services, the report suggests most firms are still stuck in experimentation.
About 85% of organisations said they are piloting, implementing or using AI, but only 17% have embedded it into daily operations—highlighting a widening gap between ambition and measurable impact.
iManage says earlier findings from October 2025 also point to a consistent trend: higher levels of knowledge work maturity correlate with stronger business outcomes, regardless of industry or geography.
“What this data shows is that AI success isn’t about who experiments fastest – it’s about who has done the foundational work,” said Laura Wenzel, Global Insights Director at iManage.
“Organisations with mature knowledge environments are better positioned to deploy AI consistently, govern it responsibly, and earn trust from both clients and employees. Without that foundation, AI simply amplifies existing friction and risk.” she said.
Key findings
A high-level view of what the research suggests about AI maturity, adoption, governance, and productivity.
AI maturity drives measurable business outperformance
Organisations with higher knowledge work maturity are nearly twice as likely as less mature peers to report year-over-year revenue growth and are more likely to self-report profitability and stronger financial performance, according to the study.
AI adoption is widespread — but operational use lags
While 85% of organisations are piloting, implementing, or using AI, only 17% have integrated AI into daily operations, underscoring the gap between experimentation and real-world impact.
Customer demand is accelerating AI strategy
Overall, 57% of respondents say customers influence their AI adoption, rising to 74% among knowledge-mature organisations, which are also twice as likely to deploy AI in client-facing tools.
Governance gaps are slowing progress
Nearly one-third of organisations report experiencing a policy-impacting incident related to unregulated AI tools, and almost 30% have delayed AI adoption due to security concerns.
AI enhances roles rather than replacing them
57% of respondents say AI is primarily enhancing existing job roles, while knowledge-mature organisations are significantly more likely to report productivity improvements from AI-enabled workflows.
Search friction remains a productivity drain
Despite 86% of decision-makers expressing confidence in their ability to find and reuse knowledge, professionals still spend an average of 37 minutes per day searching for information.
“This research confirms that investment in knowledge systems, architecture and AI is non-negotiable. Law firm strategy cannot be a wait and see, or be a second follower,” said Reena SenGupta, Executive Director at RSGi.
“Competitive advantage is being won by the advanced knowledge organisations and now we have the data to prove it.” said SenGupta
Foundations To Enable Scale Or Compound Risk In 2026
Organisations that take a unified, organisation-wide approach to knowledge management and governance are far more likely to move from AI experimentation to confident, scalable adoption.
While 72% of organisations plan to invest in a new document or knowledge management platform within the next two years, the research suggests spend alone won’t deliver results.
Outcomes depend on a trusted, well-governed foundation that enables AI to be used consistently across the business.
The Knowledge Work 2026 Benchmark Report provides a global benchmark for how organisations are approaching AI today – and a practical reference point for assessing whether their foundations will enable scale or compound risk in the year ahead.
About the Research
The iManage Knowledge Work 2026 Benchmark Report is based on a survey of 3,185 business and technology decision-makers across 26 countries, spanning legal, accounting and tax, financial services, and asset management organisations. The research was conducted between September and October 2025.
