Supreme Court Justice Vikram Nath said on Sunday that while artificial intelligence (AI) can act as an effective aid to the judiciary, it “can never replace the work of judges and judges.”
Justice Nath spoke about the limitations of technology in legal decision-making at a conference on global perspectives on judicial governance and the role of AI, organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association in Bangalore.
“AI may assist investigations and improve efficiency, but it cannot replace the trained minds of lawyers or the ethical and disciplined judgment that judges must exercise,” he said.
“Technology may help with things like drafting memos and collating data, but it can never replace the work of judges and judges,” he added.
Judge Nath emphasized that there is no set formula for judicial decisions, saying, “Even cases based on the same law require different approaches based on the facts and context. AI cannot capture or reproduce these nuances.”
He said judges often make discriminatory assessments on issues such as bail and commercial settlements. “In a case involving 10 accused in the same FIR, a judge may grant bail to nine and deny bail to one. AI cannot make that distinction,” he said.
He added: “AI can expand access and increase transparency, but it also comes with certain risks.”
Judge Nath called on the legal community to approach AI responsibly without compromising the core values of the judiciary.
