AT&T has announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate AI chatbots and agents into its internal legal department, known as LegalEdge. The initiative aims to streamline legal operations and improve access to the company's century-long archive of legal knowledge.
LegalEdge was established in January 2026, initially testing the concept with a pilot group of 24–30 professionals before expanding to a team of approximately 38. Throughout 2026, the company has already shifted thousands of hours of work from external firms to this internal unit.
General Counsel David McAtee stated that AT&T intends to reduce its roster of national law firms from approximately 30 to 18–20 over the next two years. The company plans to prioritize and reward external firms that adopt AI technologies in their own practices.
The integration of OpenAI tools is expected to drive cost efficiencies and enhance the management of institutional memory. For external partners, the adoption of AI is becoming a critical factor in maintaining their business relationship with the telecom giant.
