RRU in the Media: Artificial Intelligence and Federal Court cases

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Artificial Intelligence (AI) is becoming more embedded in our daily lives, but should that extend to our court systems? 

In a recent article for The Conversation, Bryce J. Casavant, associate lecturer in the School of Humanitarian Studies, Andrea Menard, PhD Candidate, Indigenous Governance, and Siomonn Pulla, associate professor Interdisciplinary Studies at Royal Roads University examine AI use, how it can shape judicial processes and legal systems, and potential negative impacts that could occur.   

Here’s some of what they wrote:  

“2024 marks the first full year of implementing Canada’s recent AI policy for the Federal Court. As it stands today, not a single Chief Justice in Canada has firmly said “no” to the use of AI in the courts. 

The Federal Court merely lightly salted the AI policy statement with a commitment that more “public consultation” was needed — without describing what that meant. 

Improperly adopted, AI could erode the role of Canadian judges and limit the function of courts in judicial review, although some believe this is still far away. 

The Federal Court AI policy suggests an alarming possibility for machine-learning bias within a poorly structured policy that favours potential efficiencies over inherent risks.” 

Read the full piece in The Conversation.  

Learn more about the Master of Arts in Justice Studies