Chief Justice of India Surya Kant on Saturday urged judicial officers not to be “afraid” of AI as it is only an aid. He advised newly inducted Advocates-on-Record (AoRs) to personally draft petitions and not outsource legal work to artificial intelligence or other external parties, emphasizing that every pleading filed before the Court reflects the professional judgment and responsibility of the advocate whose name appears on it.
Asserting that technology must remain an aid, not a substitute, he said the integration of Artificial Intelligence into the judicial process must be guided by a principle of balance—leveraging its benefits to enhance efficiency while steadfastly preserving the human intellect, experience, and constitutional conscience that lie at the heart of justice. He cautioned that the adoption of technology in the judiciary must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations.
The chief justice was speaking at the 22nd biennial state-level conference of judicial officers, themed ‘Reimagining the Judiciary in the Era of Artificial Intelligence’, organised by the Karnataka State Judicial Officers Association.“The same will happen with AI tools when we begin using them carefully and consciously, ensuring that the judge within you remains independent and is not influenced by these technical tools,” he added.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Supreme Court judges B V Nagarathna and Aravind Kumar, and Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court, Vibhu Bakhru, among others, were present at the event.Stating that the emergence of AI presents both significant opportunities and serious challenges for the judiciary, the CJI said that, on one hand, AI has the potential to enhance efficiency in meaningful ways—by assisting in legal research, streamlining case management, organising large volumes of data, and reducing administrative burdens that often consume valuable judicial time.
“With structured and targeted training, judicial officers can effectively harness these tools to improve productivity and ensure that greater time and attention are devoted to the core function of adjudication,” he said.However, he added, the adoption of such technology must be accompanied by a clear and conscious understanding of its inherent limitations.
“AI operates on patterns, algorithms, and existing datasets; it does not possess judgment in the human sense, nor can it engage with the ethical, social, and moral dimensions that frequently underpin judicial decision-making,” Justice Kant said.
“The process of judging is not merely analytical—it is also reflective, contextual, and guided by constitutional values. An over-reliance on AI tools risks reducing this nuanced exercise to a mechanical output, thereby diluting the depth, independence, and integrity of judicial reasoning,” he said.Expressing concern about inaccuracies generated by such systems, he said there have been recent instances of fabricated precedents, incorrect citations, and entirely fictitious legal propositions being produced by AI platforms.
Justice Kant further warned of the growing risk of AI tools being misused to generate misleading pleadings, frivolous claims, or superficially convincing yet substantively flawed submissions.“Such practices not only burden the judicial system but also divert attention from genuine disputes that require urgent resolution. In an already strained system, this adds a layer of complexity that must be addressed seriously,” he said.
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