In a candid address on the intersection of law and technology, Justice Dipankar Datta highlighted the limits of Artificial Intelligence in the judiciary, stressing that the human element in adjudication remains irreplaceable. Speaking at a panel organized by the Supreme Court Advocates On Record Association, he sounded an urgent note on the strain caused by rising filings, warning that no AI tool can substitute for the acute shortage of judges facing exponentially increasing caseloads.
Justice Dipankar Datta outlined how Supreme Court filings surged from 40,000 in 2018 to 75,000 in 2025, while sanctioned judge strength remains almost static. He recounted the pressures this creates, noting that AI can assist in legal research and drafting but cannot judge human motivations, such as greed, anger, lust, or violence, which often underpin litigation.
Sharing personal experiences, he revealed instances where he dictated orders but later corrected them, emphasizing the intuitive judgment and ethical discretion that AI currently cannot replicate. He also highlighted administrative gaps in the Court’s registry, where bail applications are improperly categorized, underscoring the need for better AI-assisted management rather than replacement of judges.
Justice Dipankar Datta warned of ethical risks, cautioning lawyers against over-reliance on AI to generate submissions, stating that misuse could damage the foundational trust between bench and bar. “What you write by your hand is the best product,” he declared, adding that AI should remain “at our feet” as a servant and never allowed to “sit on the head” of practitioners.
He also advised extreme caution with public AI platforms like ChatGPT, highlighting confidentiality risks. While acknowledging AI’s inevitable role in legal evolution, he stressed that moral courage and nuanced human judgment remain the core of advocacy and adjudication.
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