The use of artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots by judges in courtrooms is on the rise, with supporters claiming that they can streamline court processes. Judges like Anoop Chitkara from the Punjab and Haryana High Court in India have relied on chatbots such as ChatGPT to gain additional support in their rulings. Chatbots are software applications that use AI to mimic human conversation when answering questions from users. While some judges argue that AI is a helpful aid in judicial processes, others have raised concerns over the potential biases and risks associated with the technology. Despite some challenges, the growing use of AI in criminal justice systems worldwide is expected to help address backlogs of legal cases.
ChatGPT is an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, an AI research company that aims to promote and develop friendly AI for the betterment of humanity. The company, founded in 2015, focuses on developing state-of-the-art AI models for natural language processing, robotics control, and other areas of AI research. OpenAI’s products and services are used across multiple industries, including technology, finance, healthcare, and energy, among others.
Anoop Chitkara is a judge at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in India who has used AI chatbots such as ChatGPT as an additional support system in his rulings. Chitkara, who has presided over thousands of cases, believes that AI has immense potential as an aid in judicial processes. However, he emphasizes that AI cannot replace judges and their decision-making. Chitkara used ChatGPT to summarize case law related to an unusually high level of cruelty in a case in which he refused bail to a man accused of assault and murder. While he did not rely solely on the chatbot to make his ruling, he found the technology helpful in providing additional support.
