Will AI fill the unfairness gap in British justice? - BBC News
Court No 1 of the Old Bailey. We've all seen the movie. The dodgy witness is getting away with it until the wily lawyer mauls their evidence in the witness box, thanks to long nights preparing for just that moment. There are tears of joy and a judge banging a gavel (only in American courts, mind). The post-script tells us that the case made the world a better place. Not so fast.
Every day there are legal battles that the little man or woman loses. And very often they lose because they cannot afford to fight their corner against a wealthier opponent. This is where artificial intelligence, the most talked-about subject of the last two years, could transform justice and fairness in society. The legal world is agog with excitement about what AI is doing to the law.
AI Impact on Legal World
Systems are being devised to not only carry out basic work, like contract-writing, but also to analyze thousands of pages of evidence in the most complex of cases. And this revolution isn't just happening in the skyscrapers of global law firms, but quietly in places like the Westway Trust's Cost of Living Crisis Clinic in London.
This advice clinic in London helps clients in one of the poorest neighborhoods in England deal with a raft of complicated disputes - from benefits appeals to disputes with landlords. The Westway Trust team is now using AI tools to help advise clients.
AI Tools for Legal Assistance
One client tells the BBC how she has been made homeless because the landlord canceled her tenancy. "I'm a professional person - and I am not used to finding myself in this kind of situation," she says. "It's distressing, destabilizing and being homeless, also at my age, is quite difficult."
There is legal aid for the absolute poorest in society - but it is means-tested and extremely limited. Many people give up on their fight against something they instinctively know has been an injustice. AI is beginning to fill what many regard as a fairness gap in the justice system.
The Future of AI in Justice System
Sir Geoffrey Vos, the Master of the Rolls, is the head of civil justice in England and Wales. He leads the judiciary's thinking on how far AI could go and has written the UK's first guidance on how it should be used in court. "When people have claims, which they can't resolve, it creates a huge economic loss to our society," says Sir Geoffrey. "They worry about the claim. They're not as productive in their jobs. We in the justice system really do want to find ways in which we can resolve people's problems more quickly, and at lower cost. Artificial intelligence in time will be one of those tools."
So how far could this AI revolution go? Stephen Dowling is a barrister who also runs Trialview, one of many companies competing for a slice of the legal AI market that is predicted by the global research group Gartner to explode in the next two years.
Challenges and Considerations
But for every lead barrister in court, particularly in complex hearings, such as commercial fraud, there can be a vast supporting team in the wings. The technologies being developed will enable one or two lawyers to do the job of many, massively changing access to justice and reducing legal costs.
However, the human factor is crucial, and the legal world is now wrestling with the potential downsides of relying too heavily on AI tools in the justice system. Judge's guidance emphasizes the importance of human oversight and ensuring that AI tools are used responsibly to prevent biased results.
While AI has the potential to revolutionize the legal world, it is essential to balance technological advancements with the need for human judgment and legal expertise.
