NEW DELHI: The High Commission of India in London on Friday condemned what it described as "indecorous audience behavior" during Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant's lecture at Birkbeck College, after videos surfaced online showing an attendee attempting to raise questions about dissent and democracy in India during the event.
"Such indecorous audience behavior is unacceptable and inconsistent with respectful engagement that should govern public discourse. Differences of opinion are a natural part of a democratic society. However, they must be expressed in a manner that is civil and respectful," the post by high commission read.
The statement came after clips circulated on social media showing a participant seeking to question the Chief Justice while he was delivering a lecture on artificial intelligence and international law. Organisers intervened and prevented the interaction from continuing, asking attendees to remain focused on the subject of the event.
Speaking at Birkbeck College, University of London, Justice Kant said artificial intelligence had emerged as one of the defining legal and governance challenges of the modern era, with consequences that would shape the future of democratic societies and international law.
During his address, Justice Kant argued that artificial intelligence has moved beyond the realm of theory and is now exerting a direct influence on public institutions, legal systems and governance structures around the world.
He said AI represented one of the most consequential challenges facing modern international law and emphasised that the way governments and societies respond to the technology over the coming years would have long-lasting implications.
"Technology itself is neither inherently benevolent nor inherently harmful. Its impact depends upon the legal, political and ethical frameworks within which societies choose to deploy it. The responsibility of law, therefore, is neither to resist technological progress nor to surrender unquestioningly before it. Its responsibility is to ensure that technological power remains accountable to constitutional values, democratic legitimacy and human dignity," he said.
The Chief Justice noted that AI is already influencing a broad range of sectors, including governance, commerce, communication, defence and the justice system itself.
"Governments now utilise algorithmic systems to allocate welfare benefits, assess immigration applications, monitor borders, regulate financial systems and support policing functions. Militaries are rapidly developing autonomous capabilities. Courts across jurisdictions are beginning to confront questions involving AI-generated evidence, automated decision-making and digital due process. Private corporations possess technological capacities that rival, and in some instances exceed, the informational reach of sovereign states," he said.
Justice Kant also highlighted the growing role of AI in judicial administration, pointing to its use in legal research, case management, translation services, transcription, document organisation and the identification of precedents.
According to organisers, questions relating to India's democratic record and allegations concerning hostility towards dissent were not entertained because the session was intended to remain focused on artificial intelligence and its legal implications.
One attendee sought to raise concerns about India's protection of democratic values in the age of AI and referred to what she described as hostility towards dissent. However, the organisers interrupted the intervention before any discussion could develop.
Addressing the wider implications of emerging technologies, the Chief Justice stressed that AI poses complex questions that extend beyond national borders and require coordinated legal responses.
"The central challenge before us is to ensure that, in an age of intelligent machines, humanity retains authorship of the principles by which it is governed. If international law can rise to that challenge, artificial intelligence may become not merely a technological revolution, but an opportunity to reaffirm the values that lie at the foundation of democratic civilisation itself," he underscored.
Justice Kant is currently on a six-day visit to the United Kingdom, where he has been engaging with legal and academic institutions on issues relating to technology, law and global governance.
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