Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ year-end report on the federal judiciary has caused a stir with its defense of the value of human judges in a world where AI models have started passing bar exams. AI technology is poised, or in some cases already starting, to collide with the practice of law in several arenas, many of which might not be obvious—but could have long-term effects.

One particular issue will be the admission of evidence that is an output of an AI model, according to the Hon. James E. Baker, professor of public administration and international affairs by courtesy appointment and co-author of a 2023 judges’ guide to AI published by the Federal Judicial Center, a research agency run by and for the judiciary. 

Baker he expects the complexity of models to make controversies over AI evidence more vexing than debates over DNA evidence, which overcame initial skepticism to become a mainstay in American legal proceedings.

“The challenge with AI is every AI model is different,” he says, “What’s more, AI models are constantly learning and changing.”

Read more in the Politico article, “Judges to AI: We object!”