AI can assist, but never replace Judicial Mind in Judgment Writing, says SC

On Sunday, Supreme Court judge Justice Vikram Nath clarified that artificial intelligence cannot replace the judicial mind, firmly asserting that judgment writing will remain an exclusively human function. Speaking at a national conference of the Supreme Court Bar Association in Bengaluru, the judge emphasised that while AI may streamline court processes, the core act of adjudication must stay with judges, a position that comes as courts increasingly experiment with AI-assisted tools.

The remarks came during a broader discussion on integrating artificial intelligence into judicial governance, where stakeholders examined both its promise and risks. Justice Nath highlighted that adjudication involves nuanced, fact-specific determinations, particularly in areas like matrimonial disputes, bail decisions, and constitutional questions, where no fixed dataset can guide outcomes. Echoing similar concerns, Justice A G Masih stressed that justice delivery is rooted in human conscience and public trust, elements beyond algorithmic replication. Senior advocate Sajan Poovayya warned of AI “hallucinations” generating non-existent legal reasoning, while Justice D K Upadhyay pointed to the growing global use of AI in courts alongside emerging threats like deepfakes undermining evidentiary reliability.

Justice Nath observed that AI can only “augment” the system by assisting in tasks like data collation, categorisation, and translation, but cannot substitute judicial reasoning. He emphasised that courts routinely deal with complexities, such as differentiating between co-accused in the same FIR or balancing equities in civil disputes, that require contextual appreciation beyond machine capability. “AI can be used as a tool to augment the judicial system, but it cannot replace the judgment,” he stated, concluding that the final act of decision-making must remain with judges alone.

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