Japanese top court to test AI in civil trials

This budget request marks the first time the Supreme Court has allocated funds specifically for AI use, signaling a concrete step toward integrating the technology into judicial processes. The earlier test by midcareer judges, conducted on mock trial records, revealed a dual nature of AI: it can streamline tasks like summarizing and organizing, but it also risks reinforcing existing biases by omitting crucial information or generating plausible but incorrect answers. This finding led the group to conclude that AI should serve strictly as an assistant, not a replacement, for judges.

The move comes as prolonged civil trials have become a growing problem, and the official in charge expressed hope that AI will help streamline and shorten proceedings. The budget request also includes about ¥38.7 billion for the broader digitalization of trial procedures, covering criminal and domestic cases, which suggests AI is part of a larger push to modernize the judiciary. The demonstration test will rely on records of settled lawsuits, and a system to prevent leakage of personal information and trade secrets is also planned, indicating attention to the sensitive nature of court data.