SC flags 'menace' of AI-generated fake judgments, cautions lawyers

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern over the growing "menace" of lawyers and litigants citing non-existent judgments generated by artificial intelligence, warning that the practice is becoming increasingly common across courts.

A bench of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vijay Bishnoi said such instances were not limited to India but were being seen globally, and stressed the need for greater caution while relying on AI-assisted material, news agency PTI reported.

The observations came while the apex court expunged certain remarks made by the Bombay HC in a case involving a company director.

"As a matter of indulgence, we expunge the remarks ... However, the fact remains that this menace is rampant in all courts now, not only in India but throughout the world. Everyone needs to be careful about this," the bench said, adding that the issue is already under consideration on the judicial side.

The high court, in its order, had flagged that written submissions appeared to have been generated using AI tools such as ChatGPT, citing tell-tale formatting markers and repetitive phrasing. It also pointed to a referenced case that could not be traced in legal records.

Despite efforts by the court and its law clerks, the cited judgment could not be located, leading to what it termed a waste of "precious judicial time".

The high court had underlined that while AI tools can assist legal research, parties bear the responsibility of verifying the accuracy and authenticity of any material produced using such technologies.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search