AI overreliance threatens judicial system, retired judges warn

Artificial intelligence. Photo: Jobaaj Learnings

Prominent jurists and judges have warned lawyers against overreliance on artificial intelligence, stating that its excessive use could undermine the nation’s judicial system.

The legal practitioners spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt during a book launch titled AI, Justice and the Rule of Law: The Denton-West Principles for AI Governance, Digital Sovereignty and Constitutional Democracy, held in honour of a retired Court of Appeal judge, Sotonye Denton-West.

They warned that if the deployment of AI was not properly balanced, it could erode the rule of law and lead to a miscarriage of justice.

Leading the argument, Denton-West said AI lacked human emotions, which she noted were vital in judgment delivery.

Denton-West stated that if judges or legal practitioners relied solely on AI for research, case filing, and judgment writing, it would pose grave risks to the administration of justice.

The legal expert said, “We should be careful to balance things and always remember that we have human nature within us; the essence of God is in us. If we are adopting AI, we should adopt it with care and a bit of balance because nothing is ever perfect.

“Now it has come to the judiciary where I belong, and I felt that if judges accept this as it comes without evaluating or being careful, it could lead to a lot of miscarriages of justice.”

Similarly, the reviewer of the book, retired Justice Adolphus Enebeli of the Rivers State High Court, stated that unless measures were taken to regulate the rapid advancement of AI, it could erode the essence of human existence.

While acknowledging that AI had come to stay, Enebeli urged lawyers and judges to exercise caution when prompting AI platforms and ensure facts are verified before application.

He said, “The rule, in my mind, is that once data is generated, you must verify that you made the appropriate input or that it gives an accurate answer to your query.

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“It is for the lawyer to verify because whatever you submit, you are accountable for it. That is why we are emphasizing these points.”

On her part, Justice Tamunoigoni Oji, who represented the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, said judges in the state were already concerned about the integration of AI into the legal system.

She expressed optimism that the book would offer actionable recommendations on balancing AI usage within the judiciary.

“Judges in Rivers State were discussing recently about AI and its effects, and we questioned ourselves. AI is built for us, not us for AI, so there must be a balance in how we use it.

“As we introduce it, I hope the book tells us how to balance the use of AI because it is easy to be taken over by AI.

“If I am in a hurry and I have a judgment tomorrow without having written anything, all I do is prompt AI and it gives me a response. But it can never be original. So, no matter how good AI is, it can never take the place of human intellect,” she said.

The author of the book, Obele Akinniranye, said the publication was written to celebrate Denton-West’s contributions to the country’s legal development.

She called on the government to establish comprehensive policies to guide and regulate the integration of artificial intelligence into Nigeria’s judicial sector.

“As AI becomes increasingly influential, there is an urgent need for legal frameworks capable of ensuring that technology remains accountable to the law and that innovation remains consistent with justice.

“This book seeks to contribute to that important conversation,” Akinniranye said.