Authored by Tim Rollins, Director of Content Marketing, Exterro

Let’s be honest: the legal technology world has spent the last two years drowning in AI chatter. Between endless hype cycles and basic chatbots that merely rephrase search queries, it is easy to feel like the conversation is running in circles.

It is time to move past the novelty. The real shift in legal technology isn't about having a chatbot answer generic questions—it is about deploying agentic systems that can actually execute tasks, automate complex eDiscovery workflows, and drive the work forward while legal teams maintain strategic oversight.

That is why the 12th annual eDiscovery Day (Thursday, December 3, 2026) is cutting through the chatter with a keynote designed to distill the trends and tackle the profession's hardest question head-on: In a New AI World, Who Does the Work Now?

The Keynote: A Live Debate Presided Over by a Federal Judge

Instead of another polite panel where everyone agrees on everything, this year's 75-minute live keynote, titled In a New AI World, Who Does the Work Now?, puts AI on trial in a formal oral argument. Presided over by US District Judge Xavier Rodriguez (Western District of Texas), four leading practitioners will debate where legal teams should hand over execution to AI and where they must hold the line.

• The Debaters: Lea Malani Bays (Robbins Geller), Porschia Clarke (Duke Energy), David Cowen (The Cowen Group), and Khrys McKinney (K L McKinney).
• The Moderator: Doug Austin (Editor, eDiscovery Today).
• The Verdict: The audience votes live before and after the argument to decide who wins.

Register for the Keynote Session today.

New Industry Research on AI and eDiscovery

We are also unveiling joint benchmark research live during the keynote to show how legal and eDiscovery teams are actually utilizing AI in their daily operations today. Built jointly by all five partner organizations (Exterro, ACEDS, EDRM, eDiscovery Today, and new partner LegalOps.com), this data will become an annual benchmark to track how the delegation of work continues to shift.

Rising Stars of eDiscovery: Shaping the Future

For the first time ever, the profession is formally recognizing the emerging talent shaping the future of our field. The new Rising Stars of eDiscovery award will honor exactly five early-career practitioners who are making an outsized impact.

Here is what you need to know:

• Who is eligible: Practitioners with five years or less of experience who work in-house, at a law firm, or in government (eDiscovery, legal ops, litigation support, etc.). Note: Employees of tech vendors, service providers, ALSPs, and consultancies are not eligible.
• Nominate Yourself or a Peer: This is a community-driven award. You can submit a peer or self-nominate right now through November 6, 2026.
• The Selection: The five winners will be chosen by a judging panel representing the five organizations behind eDiscovery Day, scoring nominees on craft, impact, judgment, and career trajectory.
• The Perks: The five Rising Stars will be introduced live during the December 3 keynote webinar. Beyond the recognition, winners will be given a platform to showcase their industry leadership, with features across all of the partners' podcasts, publications, webinars, and websites.

Nominate a Rising Star of eDiscovery!

Ready to cut through the hype, see where the industry is actually heading, and nominate a Rising Star? Head over to eDiscoveryDay.com to register for the keynote and submit your nominations today.

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