The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a public interest litigation seeking directions to regulate what was described as the “unregulated” use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) tools within the judicial system. The bench made it clear that while the concerns raised were genuine, they fell within the domain of judicial administration, not judicial mandates.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi heard the plea filed by petitioner Kartikeya Rawal, represented by senior advocate Anupam Lal Das. The petition sought safeguards to prevent AI-generated content, including fabricated judicial precedents, from influencing court proceedings.
Das argued that trial courts had already started citing “non-existent Supreme Court precedents,” warning that unverified AI output posed risks to the integrity of judicial records.
The Chief Justice acknowledged these challenges, noting that the judiciary was conscious of the “ill effects” of AI and ML tools. He stressed that such technology could assist judges but should “never overpower judicial decision-making,” and the responsibility lay jointly on lawyers and judges to verify any AI-sourced material.
“It casts a duty on the Bar and the judges to verify the AI-generated case laws,” the CJI said, adding that the issue was already being handled through judicial academies and training programmes.
The bench emphasised that the matter was better addressed on the administrative side and encouraged the petitioner to share his recommendations directly with the Supreme Court for consideration. “Someone with sincere intentions is most welcome to give us suggestions. You can mail them to us,” the CJI said.
Sensing the bench’s inclination, the petitioner withdrew the plea, and the matter was dismissed as withdrawn.
