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Relying On AI For Legal Research Risky, Platforms Like ChatGPT Have Generated Fake Case Citations : Justice Gavai
LIVELAW NEWS NETWORK
11 March 2025 6:03 AM
Justice Gavai also flagged the use of AI as a tool to predict judicial outcomes
Justice BR Gavai of the Supreme Court advocated caution while using Artificial Intelligence(AI) in the judiciary. While acknowledging that AI can be a beneficial tool to ease the administrative burden of case management and can be used for effective listing and scheduling of cases, Justice Gavai warned about the risks inherent in over dependence on AI.Speaking at a conference organised by...
Justice BR Gavai of the Supreme Court advocated caution while using Artificial Intelligence(AI) in the judiciary. While acknowledging that AI can be a beneficial tool to ease the administrative burden of case management and can be used for effective listing and scheduling of cases, Justice Gavai warned about the risks inherent in over dependence on AI.
Speaking at a conference organised by the Supreme Court of Kenya, Justice Gavai said that AI-powered scheduling tools have been integrated into case management systems to allocate court dates intelligently, balancing the workload of judges and ensuring optimal use of court resources. Many courts worldwide have adopted automated case scheduling systems, which assign cases to judges based on workload and specialization.
However, Justice Gavai said that the use of AI for legal research has given rise to certain ethical concerns.
"Relying on AI for legal research comes with significant risks, as there have been instances where platforms like ChatGPT have generated fake case citations and fabricated legal facts. While AI can process vast amounts of legal data and provide quick summaries, it lacks the ability to verify sources with human-level discernment. This has led to situations where lawyers and researchers, trusting AI-generated information, have unknowingly cited non-existent cases or misleading legal precedents, resulting in professional embarrassment and potential legal consequences."
"Furthermore, AI is increasingly being explored as a tool to predict court outcomes, sparking important debates about its role in judicial decision-making. This raises fundamental questions about the very nature of justice. Can a machine, lacking human emotions and moral reasoning, truly grasp the complexities and nuances of legal disputes? The essence of justice often involves ethical considerations, empathy, and contextual understanding—elements that remain beyond the reach of algorithms. The integration of AI in the judiciary, therefore, must be approached with caution, ensuring that technology serves as an aid rather than a replacement for human judgment."