Penn Law's new AI law clerk
AI judges like the one in "Mercy" are still a Hollywood hallucination, but Penn researchers are preparing real judges for a future when the technology becomes a fixture in their chambers. Why it matters: Judges carrying crushing caseloads are warming to AI but remain wary of costly mistakes in cases where people's lives hang in the balance. The big picture: AI is a double-edged sword, helping people navigate the legal system while turning just about everyone into an armchair lawyer. Judges are already the last line of defense in protecting litigants' rights, and now they're being thrust into another role: AI firewalls , policing attorneys who submit court filings that could cite fake AI-generated cases . The job is further complicated by people representing themselves turning to AI to write legal pleadings and navigate their cases. State of play: A majority of judges surveyed by Northwestern researchers reported using at least one AI tool, though a much smaller percentage used them weekly or daily. Many judges used AI for time-consuming tasks, including legal research and summarizing witness testimony. Yes, but: The biggest barriers to judges embracing AI included fears of eroding public trust in the judiciary, losing their own legal
