SC allows AI as judicial aid but bars from ‘replacing’ human judgment

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has issued a landmark ruling on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the judicial system, recommending the formulation of guidelines for its application. The court stated that AI may be employed for legal research and drafting judgments but clarified that it should only serve as an assistive tool—not a substitute for judicial discretion.

Justice Mansoor Ali Shah authored the 18-page judgment, pointing out that tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek can enhance judicial efficiency. The ruling also acknowledged that judges worldwide have admitted to using AI for assistance in decision-making: “AI must never replace the autonomy of human judgment in the judiciary.”

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The judgment further directed the Judicial Reforms Committee and the Law and Justice Commission to develop guidelines specifying the permissible extent of AI’s use within the judicial system.

The use of AI has often been debated for the past few years but given its rampant expansion, it is only a matter of when than how be it in the field of criminology, media, health and now judiciary. Being meticulous would be the key as institutions slowly adapt to the fast changing technology.