Artificial intelligence in NY’s courts? Panel will study benefits – and potential risks.

The New York state court system has established an advisory panel to study the potential benefits and risks of how artificial intelligence is utilized in court.

The Advisory Committee on Artificial Intelligence and the Courts will be made up of judges, court administrators, attorneys, academics and other experts from around New York. They will examine the use of AI tools in the courts by judges, court staff, attorneys and litigants, and identify how it could be used to improve the administration of justice while minimizing risks. The group will also be charged with developing appropriate guardrails to ensure AI is used safely.

Chief Administrative Judge Joseph A. Zayas, who is tasked with overseeing the day-to-day operation of the statewide court system, announced the formation of the committee in a press release on Thursday.

“While these are incredibly exciting times, with AI showing tremendous promise for transforming court operations, improving court experiences for all users, and greatly expanding access to justice, we have to move cautiously in considering the adoption of the use of AI tools,” Zayas said in a statement. “The New York State Courts must aspire to the effective, responsible, and impartial use of AI, taking every step possible to guard against bias and the lack of human input, and to ensure that all security and privacy concerns are protected.”

Initially, the 39-member panel will focus on studying and then recommending AI training, determining how to ensure AI use is equitable and assessing the ethical implications of using AI tools, according to the press release.

Among those appointed to the panel are NYU Law School Director and professor Jason Schultz, who will serve as one of three co-chairs, and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

The creation of the committee comes as elected officials in the state and across the country grapple with how to handle the growing use of AI. Earlier this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced her commitment to “putting New York State at the cutting-edge of AI research,” which included a proposal to create a consortium to create an AI computing center in Upstate New York.