Kerala High Court Issues AI Policy for Judges, Prohibits AI in Judgments
In a pioneering move, the Kerala High Court has introduced formal guidelines regulating the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools by judges and district judiciary staff. This policy explicitly prohibits the use of AI for making judicial decisions, including findings, reliefs, orders, or judgments.
The court has banned popular AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Deepseek for official use unless specifically approved by the Kerala or Supreme Court. The aim is to safeguard the integrity of judicial decision-making while enabling responsible AI adoption where appropriate.
Key Principles of the AI Policy
- Human Responsibility: Judges retain full responsibility for all judicial content; AI cannot replace legal reasoning or decision-making.
- Approved Tools Only: Use of AI tools is restricted to those vetted and authorized by the High Court or Supreme Court to protect confidentiality and data security.
- Transparency and Accountability: Judicial officers must ensure AI tools used comply with fairness, transparency, and privacy norms.
- Verification Required: All AI-generated legal citations, references, or translations must be carefully checked by judges or qualified personnel.
- Limited Administrative Use: AI may assist with routine tasks like case scheduling, but human oversight is mandatory.
- Audit and Training: Courts will keep detailed records of AI use, and judiciary members must attend training on AI’s ethical and legal aspects.
Detailed Guidelines for AI Use in Judiciary
- Cloud-based AI services like ChatGPT and Deepseek are prohibited unless court-approved, to protect sensitive information.
- AI outputs related to legal translations must be verified by qualified translators or judges.
- Any errors detected in AI tool outputs must be reported immediately to the Principal District Court and forwarded to the High Court IT Department for review.
- The use of AI tools is strictly confined to their intended functions as authorized by the courts.
- Interns and law clerks working with the district judiciary are also bound by this policy.
This policy sets a clear boundary: AI can support administrative work but must never replace judicial discretion or legal analysis. It highlights the importance of human judgment in the justice system while embracing technology cautiously.
Judicial officers interested in ethical and practical AI applications may find relevant AI training resources here helpful for enhancing their understanding within approved frameworks.
Your membership also unlocks:
