Artificial intelligence mimics judicial reasoning

“Professor Katie Atkinson (pictured), head of the university’s department of computer science, said the university had researched whether its computer programs could replicate the reasoning that judges go through.

Looking at ‘a body of case law’ covering 32 cases, the programs had a 96% success rate and got only one case wrong, she said. Atkinson said she saw the technique as a ‘decision support tool’ to help make reasoning ‘faster, more efficient and consistent’, assimilating data over time ‘so it will be there to help and support with the reasoning’.

Law Society president Jonathan Smithers told the event that although machine-learning and artificial intelligence may not strictly be human, their uses, applications and results ‘must still be subject to the rule of law’. (…)

But even though lawyers will be needed to provide ‘sound, robust and evidence-based’ answers to questions, they cannot become complacent, Smithers warned. ‘The new uses of machine learning and artificial intelligence show that technology has evolved from science fiction to science fact. Unless we keep up with the pace of technology, unless we show leadership and take action in this field, unless we show determination and imagination in this sector, our legal system may not be fit for purpose,’ he said.”

via Law Society Gazette http://ow.ly/4FHE301DuDI