[Invest&Law] Judge James Baker: "Judges Are Both Consumers and Gatekeepers of Artificial Intelligence"

Judge Baker, Top Authority on US AI Law
The Role of Judges Grows in the AI Era
Governments and Institutions Must Monitor for Rights Violations

Judge James E. Baker.

"In the legal field, AI (Artificial Intelligence) is the trend and not something to be avoided or resisted. Judges will also be consumers of AI and act as gatekeepers deciding whether to accept evidence produced by AI."

James E. Baker, a 64-year-old judge who will deliver the keynote speech at the '2024 Legal Tech Artificial Intelligence Special Exhibition (LTAS)' jointly hosted by Legal Times and Messe Isang from the 26th to 28th, said in an interview with Legal Times on the 6th, "Now, legal professionals must focus on how to utilize AI, verify information, and eliminate bias." Baker, a judge of the U.S. Federal Information Protection Review Court and a professor at Syracuse Law School, is an authority on AI in the U.S. legal community.

In the interview, Judge Baker stated, "The introduction of AI in the judiciary has expanded the role of judges," and added, "We must monitor whether governments and institutions infringe on people's legal rights while utilizing AI." He also mentioned precautions when using AI in trial procedures. He said, "AI technology should not be used as a predictive tool. Since behavior is inherently difficult to predict, using AI to predict bail, parole, or recidivism risk causes problems."

He emphasized that the greatest concern is bias. "People usually have biases based on gender, race, or religion, but AI learns both statistical and general biases and produces results, so the categories are broader," he warned.

Professor Baker stressed 'critical and logical thinking' as a way to overcome AI bias. "Judges and lawyers must doubt and question all information from AI," he said, "AI is not perfect, so we must always suspect whether it produces incorrect results such as bias."

When asked whether AI will replace lawyers' jobs, he said, "There are tasks only humans can do. Young lawyers should develop problem-finding skills and work as a team with AI, focusing on 'work only humans can do,' so there is no need to worry." He also called for 'changes in law firms,' emphasizing, "Law firms must recognize that young lawyers are the best at utilizing AI. If they acknowledge the value of young lawyers and place them appropriately, they can enhance competitiveness."

Regarding lawyer organizations that are reluctant to adopt AI, Professor Baker said, "Resistance to new technology is natural. The presence of resistance shows that AI is a 'disruptive' technology," and added, "Lawyers have an obligation to use any means to defend clients, so now they must consider how to wisely utilize AI."

Legal Times Reporter Jin-Young Lee

※This article is based on content supplied by Law Times.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.