Pennsylvania May Require Lawyers, Other Court Filers to Verify AI-Generated Citations
This story first appeared in The Investigator, a weekly newsletter by Spotlight PA featuring the best investigative and accountability journalism from across Pennsylvania. Sign up for free here. HARRISBURG — “Always double-check your work.” Most people have heard this simple but sage advice at some point in their lives, whether from a grade school teacher, a college professor, or a supervisor at work. Now, as the use of artificial intelligence skyrockets, a committee that advises the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is weighing whether lawyers and other filers who use that tech should have to certify they double-checked the authenticity of citations and information in legal documents. Failure to comply could result in sanctions ranging from a reprimand to fines to outright dismissal of a case, according to a proposed notice published last month in the Pennsylvania Bulletin , the state’s weekly gazette for government proposals for new rules, regulations, and other information. The Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence said it wants to make all court filers aware that generative AI can produce “inaccurate, misleading, or fabricated information,” such as erroneous legal citations or quotations. Those filers, including lawyers and people representing themselves, must “thoroughly review” the accuracy of any AI-generated content
