Chief Justice Roberts: AI to Impact Judicial Work, But Human Judgement Stays

Artificial intelligence will significantly affect judicial work, particularly during case trials, Chief Justice John Roberts said in his 2023 year-end report released on Sunday. Roberts acknowledged that AI can potentially make the courts more accessible to people with less money “to smooth out any mismatch between available resources and urgent needs in our court system.” 

According to the chief justice, however, the gray areas often involved in legal determinations will “still require application of human judgment,” the Associated Press reported Monday.

Roberts emphasized that machines cannot fully replace key court actors like judges, who measure case nuances and clues. He pointed out that any AI use “requires caution and humility,” citing an instance wherein lawyers submitted briefs containing AI-generated citations to fictitious cases.

Several AI-related efforts involving the legal community are underway in the Justice Department, with the goals of developing an AI-ready workforce and the department-wide adoption of the technology. The initiatives include enhancing search options and document management, according to an earlier Fedscoop report.