Artificial intelligence cannot replace lawyers, judges in dispensation of justice – SC

Artificial Intelligence (AI), “the ability of a computer or computer-controlled robot to do tasks commonly performed by humans,” cannot replace lawyers and judges in the dispensation of justice. “AI can never replace the human heart, moral values, critical thinking skills, and respect for the rule of law,” Supreme Court (SC) Justice Mario V. Lopez told the graduates of the Arellano University Law School on Thursday, July 20. In a press statement, the SC’s public information office (PIO) said that Justice Lopez described AI as “a mere tool for human utilization and not intended to replace humans, especially in the legal profession as it has no deep understanding of abstract concepts like justice, equity, compassion, and good conscience.” The PIO quoted Justice Lopez: “Unlike judges, a robot cannot decide cases through the lens of judicial temperament, open-mindedness, integrity, and independence. Unlike lawyers, AI cannot think outside the box or be creative in its approach or cry out for fairness or detest injustice with courage and perseverance. “It is our humanity that renders us indispensable in the practice of law. We are humans guided by conscience and societal responsibility in the dispensation of ultimate justice.” The PIO said that Lopez pointed out to the law graduates that AI “is a mere tool for human utilization and not intended to replace humans, especially in the legal profession.” It said that “while Justice Lopez acknowledged that AI can process information with accuracy and speed which humans cannot keep up with, he, however, stressed that it will not render lawyers obsolete.” “The legal profession is more than simply applying the law to the facts, but rather, it is about filling these crevices of the law with our human reasoning,” Lopez stressed said the PIO. At the same time, the PIO said that Lopez reminded the future lawyers to use social media responsibly and to be guided by the new Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA), one of the key initiatives under the Court’s blueprint of action for reforms— the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027. It added that Justice Lopez expressed his optimism that the future lawyers will become proactive partners of the SC in reforming the judiciary with the use of technology.