AI is the most transformative force of our generation: Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant

Artificial intelligence (AI) is perhaps the most transformative force of our generation, Supreme Court Justice Surya Kant said on Sunday.

He stressed that technology must support rather than substitute human judgment and that courts must remain vigilant to ensure that technological progress does not dilute the human element of justice.

"Artificial Intelligence is perhaps the most transformative force of our generation. Technology must augment not replace the human minds discernment," he said.

The next Chief Justice of India (CJI) was delivering the valedictory address at the Sixth Full Meeting of the Standing International Forum of Commercial Courts SIFoCC in New Delhi.

He underlined the importance of continued cooperation among jurisdictions. He said that SIFoCC has grown into a platform that celebrates varied legal traditions while advancing universal judicial values.

"SIFoCC stands for the idea that while our jurisdictions may differ in procedure and form our commitment to justice fairness and the Rule of Law remains a shared constant," he said.

Justice Kant also said that discussions on common standards and approaches reflected natural convergence across jurisdictions, particularly in procedural fairness, efficient case management and predictability, which are essential to commercial certainty.

"Commercial law at its core is a law of promises and trust is its currency," he said.

He reflected on the roundtable concerning corporate legal responsibility and said that modern commerce must evolve with a sense of environmental conscience and intergenerational justice.

"Corporate entities today are not only market participants but also stakeholders in the future of our planet," he said.

In this regard, he highlighted how in India, the right to trade and the right to a clean environment are recognised as complementary constitutional guarantees.

He then turned to the subject of strengthening public trust and said that institutional legitimacy rests on both correctness of outcome and fairness of process.

Justice Kant highlighted live-streaming of court proceedings, real time access to judgments and nationwide digital case management as examples of initiatives that have enhanced transparency and accessibility.

He also welcomed the participation of younger judges during the meeting and said that their perspectives will be central to the evolution of commercial adjudication.

Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal also addressed the gathering. He said that India is undertaking reforms to reduce the burden on the courts by revisiting laws and removing unnecessary criminalisation.

"India is leading to decriminalization of several provisions of different laws so that minor offenses small misdemeanors can be pardoned can be let go without burdening our court system."

He invited suggestions from participants on ways to reduce friction and enhance public faith.

Delhi High Court Justice Prathiba M Singh, who also spoke at the event, highlighted the need for sustained collaboration between institutions to strengthen commercial justice. She noted that global common practices can evolve only when institutions engage deeply and share learnings across jurisdictions.

Judicial engagement must remain continuous and purposeful, she said.

The organising committee included Justice Prathiba M. Singh, Justice Prateek Jalan, Justice Amit Bansal, Justice Manmeet and Justice Anish Dayal.