The Supreme Court of Pakistan has issued a significant judgment on the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the judicial system, calling for the formulation of comprehensive guidelines. Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah authored the 18-page verdict, highlighting the potential of AI tools like ChatGPT and DeepSeek to enhance judicial capacity. However, the court emphasized that such technologies must be used strictly as supportive tools and not as substitutes for judicial decision-making.
The judgment observed that judges in several countries have already started using AI for assistance in tasks like legal research and drafting opinions. In this context, the Supreme Court acknowledged that while AI can play a productive role in increasing institutional efficiency, it must remain within ethical and constitutional limits. The court warned against delegating core judicial functions to AI, stating that doing so would compromise judicial autonomy and the public’s trust in the legal system.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah clarified that AI should be limited to facilitating smart legal research and drafting processes. It is not designed to replace the human discretion, empathy, and legal reasoning that lie at the heart of judicial work. The judgment reaffirmed that any reliance on AI in courts must preserve the essential human role in interpreting and applying the law.
The court further stressed the urgency of defining the scope of AI usage in judicial functions. To this end, it recommended that the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, in collaboration with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, should prepare clear and robust guidelines. These guidelines must ensure that AI is integrated in a manner that upholds constitutional values and does not erode the independence of the judiciary.
In its conclusion, the Supreme Court directed that copies of the judgment be sent to both the Law and Justice Commission and the Judicial Policy Committee. The aim is to regulate the evolving intersection of AI and law, safeguarding against any misuse while enabling the judiciary to benefit from technological advancements responsibly.
