AI in Indian Courtrooms: A Boon or Bane for Justice?

With the AI revolution, people have no option but to accept the use of AI. The era of Boon and Bane debate over the use of AI tools is gradually ending. AI is becoming deeply embedded in every sector, and courtrooms are no exception. As an aspiring Indian law student, you are on the fringe of a technological revolution. Generative AI is not an empty phase because it is quickly becoming the new foundation of modern law practice and legal education in India. 

Artificial intelligence in Indian law

Indian courts and law firms do not hesitate to adopt Artificial Intelligence anymore. Programs such as Manupatra, Kanoon.ai, and LegitQuest are becoming ubiquitous resources in the law research communities, and are being used in a similar way to machine learn through huge databases, identify pertinent cases, and in some cases even forecast whether a given case is likely or otherwise to find in the client favour. Even the SUVAS program started by our Supreme Court in translating legal texts in regional languages is already starting to make justice more accessible to justice seekers in our multilingual country.

However,chatbots, such as LAWFYI.IO  are making lawyers and their wisdom available to all citizens, particularly those in rural and under-served communities, very quickly. It is not a matter of convenience but it is democratizing access to justice.

Exclusive Insights by AI expert 

During a discussion with an AI expert, he told edinbox, "AI is a good thing in courtrooms; in fact, a lot of Legal Tech Startups in India have emerged to improve legal work by combining human expertise with AI-driven solutions and to eliminate common tasks. e.g. Eudia.” This proves that AI is going to play a big role in the courtrooms. “But the model may have hallucinations, so human oversight is necessary." He added, clarifying the downsides of AI and its working.

He also highlighted, "We shouldn't decide justice through AI because AI can only help a judge provide the info of both parties and not make the final call. This is due to AI's current inability to comprehend human emotions, ethics, and the context of an action.” This is where the question  of early justice comes into play. Using Generative AI in the Indian courtrooms might be a great option but will it be worth putting justice at stake? 

Upon questioning the ability of AI, AI Expert told Edinbox, “it’s not like AI is not capable, it has the ability to make decisions, but there is a chance that they will be incorrect. If justice is not carried out correctly, an innocent person may have to suffer, which would put the entire legal system at risk.”

Proprietary Data: The Extent of AI Adoption

• At the end of 2024, there were more than 250 working AI models in India, and one of the fastest-growing sectors is the legal one.
• As of 2024, there were more than $ 750M in funding invested in Indian generative AI start-ups and three-quarters of them earned a revenue already.
• Industry estimates state that law firms are reporting up to a 30% faster turnaround rate in research and documentation activities since adopting AI tools. 

Law as a field is changing in a major way and law students need to be ready to change along with it. The legal industry is among the industries where AI tools are being increasingly utilized, which is why efficiency and accuracy are being transformed. Young lawyers can now devote time in strategy and communication with the clients because they have cut their time in the research and document review. The change, however, is also indicative of a widening of the skills shortage in the field. Law students must be apt to the digital world, having a good grasp of data privacy, artificial intelligence, and legal technology as a way of remaining in the game.

AI in Indian Legal Education

The best law schools such as NLU Delhi are already teaching students these skills, including classes on prompt engineering, legal tech and actually incubating AI legal start-ups. Digital literacy is an important area for such attention, because the legal system is currently experiencing the material effects of artificial intelligence. To give an example, AI is assisting courts to reduce large backlogs through ordered processing of cases and simplification of hearings that results in quicker justice.

Since the daily routine is to be replaced with an AI, the emphasis in terms of lawyers shall be put on the human face of the law, i.e., judgment, empathy, and ethics. Data privacy, algorithmic bias and knowledge of AI boundaries have become the equivalent of knowledge of the IPC or CrPC. Dr. Garima Tiwari of NLU Delhi affirms, "Digital fluency, data literacy, and technological flexibility, are the conditions that the next generation of lawyers should be prepared with." To accomplish this, law schools are integrating AI and legal technology into required classes, providing practical, real world experience working in AI-based programs, working with start-ups and industry to provide internships and collaborative research projects.

Challenges of Using Generative AI 

Nonetheless, it does not come without difficulties. The Indian legal market needs high customization of most generative AI tools, and regulatory barriers such as confidentiality and privacy of data slows down the uptake. Additionally, although AI is a good fit in jobs that involve repetition, interpretation and strategic thinking cannot be replaced by a machine. The legal world as we know it keeps evolving, and law students should be ready to embrace the power of AI at their disposal to ensure that they maintain the edge that a legal professional stands for.

Future Skills for Law Student

• Get Tech-Savvy: Get familiar with the use of AI tools in research and drafting. Incorporate your legal pursuits with the development of digital literacy.
• Stay Curious: Keep track of the new innovation in law and technology.
• Network: Look out to find internships in law firms that are early adopters of AI and start-ups.
• Thinking Beyond the Bar: He who will become the lawyer of tomorrow is also a hybrid, half-legal eagle and half-techie.

Generative AI cannot be treated as a tool because it is the new language of the Indian legal profession. Individuals who become fluent speakers will spend their days defining the next generation of justice in India. And to law students and law aspirants the message is also clear, adopt AI, learn constantly, and prepare to take charge of a world where law and technology work in harmony.

The future of the Courtroom is AI, be trained and stay relevant to have a better future as a law aspirant. Professor Linna says, “All the judges of the 21st century and beyond need to be technologically up-to-date and trained in AI.” It’s evident that the future may see GenAI assistants influencing the legal cases much like human law clerks, but with the added risks as well as promises of machine logic.