We have seen our morphed pictures: Supreme Court on PIL to regulate adoption of GenAI in judiciary
CJI BR Gavai acknowledges misuse of Generative AI (GenAI) against judiciary, adjourns plea for two weeks
The Supreme Court, while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking guidelines for regulating the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) in the Indian judiciary, acknowledged awareness of misuse of AI tools including manipulation of judicial images. Chief Justice of India BR Gavai remarked, “Yes, yes we have seen our morphed pictures too,” reflecting concerns over digital manipulation.
The PIL filed by lawyer Kartikeya Rawal seeks a comprehensive legislative or policy framework to govern uniform and regulated use of GenAI in judicial and quasi-judicial bodies. It highlights risks posed by GenAI, such as generating ‘hallucinations’ like fake case laws, AI bias, and lengthy incoherent observations, which could undermine the legal system’s integrity and violate Article 14 of the Constitution.
Concerns noted include the opaque, ‘black box’ nature of GenAI and the potential perpetuation of pre-existing biases and discrimination against marginalized groups through biased data. The plea advocates for bias-free data and transparent data ownership to ensure accountability in AI usage within judicial functions.
The Supreme Court adjourned the matter for two weeks to consider the issues further.