Client care is a duty, and it now reaches the question of whether you tell a client that AI touched their matter. No rule forces a blanket disclosure, but there is a clear expectation that you act honestly and in the client's interests, and that the retainer does not mislead about how the work is done.
When to say something
If AI supports background drafting or research that a fee earner then checks and owns, most clients neither need nor expect a running commentary. Where AI plays a larger part, or where client data goes into a tool, a short, plain explanation in your engagement terms is the safer course.
Put it in the retainer
A sentence or two in your client care letter, setting out that the firm may use approved AI tools to support its work while a solicitor remains responsible for the advice, sets expectations without alarming anyone. It also gives the client the chance to raise a concern at the outset.
Answer the question honestly
If a client asks directly, answer plainly. Explain what the tool does, that their confidential information is protected, and that a person checks the output. Confidence handled openly builds trust. Evasion does the opposite.
Treating AI as something to explain rather than hide keeps you on the right side of your client care duties and of the relationship.
The SRA's compliance tips include its expectation that clients know where they are dealing with AI.
If you are unsure what your client care letter should now say about AI, that is a one-hour fix rather than a project: ask us.