ChatGPT Proves Jolly Useful in Assisting British Court Judge Write Judgments
Artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, ChatGPT, has recently gained recognition for its role in assisting a British court judge in writing part of a legal ruling. Lord Justice Birss, a specialist in intellectual property law, revealed that he used the text generation tool to summarize an area of law he was familiar with before incorporating it into his judgment.
Speaking at a conference organized by The Law Society, Lord Justice Birss commended the potential of AI programs like ChatGPT. He highlighted their ability to summarize information and described them as useful tools that he himself had employed.
I asked ChatGPT to provide me with a summary of this area of law, and it gave me a paragraph, Lord Justice Birss said. I knew the answer and was about to write a paragraph stating it, but the AI did it for me. It’s there in my judgment, and it’s proven to be jolly useful.
However, Lord Justice Birss emphasized that he takes personal responsibility for the contents of his judgments and does not rely solely on AI. Rather, he sees ChatGPT as a means of automating routine tasks that he is already knowledgeable about and can verify as accurate.
While Lord Justice Birss’s remarks mark the first known instance of a British judge utilizing an AI chatbot in writing a judgment, it is not the first time ChatGPT has been involved in legal proceedings. Earlier this year, a judge in Colombia employed the chatbot to help decide a case involving a disabled child’s medical insurance.
Although the use of AI in legal contexts has gained attention worldwide, it has also sparked debates about the appropriateness and integrity of relying on such technology. In June, a New York lawyer faced criticism after admitting to using ChatGPT for legal research. The chatbot generated fictitious court cases to support the lawyer’s argument, raising concerns about the reliability and trustworthiness of AI-generated content.
In light of this hallucination problem, some law firms have opted to avoid ChatGPT and similar technologies. Mishcon de Reya, for instance, has implemented a ban on using ChatGPT to preserve client confidentiality. On the other hand, Allen & Overy, a Magic Circle firm, has developed its own AI chatbot named Harvey. The tool, co-developed with OpenAI (the creators of ChatGPT), aids in automating tasks like contract drafting but ensures human lawyer review for accuracy.
While the use of AI in the legal field continues to evolve, the benefits and challenges it presents are being examined by professionals worldwide. Lord Justice Birss’s endorsement of ChatGPT highlights its potential in assisting judges and lawyers with information summarization, but concerns about reliability and the responsibility of legal professionals persist.
As AI technology develops, it is crucial to strike a balance between leveraging its advantages and ensuring the highest standards of legal professionalism and accuracy. The impact and integration of AI in the legal landscape remain topics of ongoing discussion and analysis.
