AI, social media have deeply affected human behaviour and communication: AG R Venkataramani

Attorney General R Venkataramani on Sunday said artificial intelligence, social media and modern technology had deeply affected human behaviour and interpersonal communication.

Speaking at the launch of Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s first two books - The Bench, the Bar and the Bizarre and The Lawful and the Awful, Venkataramani referred to a chapter in the former book titled “Artificially Intelligent, Legally Embarrassed - Hallucinations, Fake Citations, and the Perils of Robo-Research.”

He said the chapter dealt with “mobile, artificial intelligence, and the unholy world of social media,” all of which had deeply affected our behavioural patterns and interpersonal communications.

“Instead of writing in the form of high abstract academic discussion, he had chosen a very simple and effective way of conveying the need for our constant engagement in freeing ourselves from the perils of the technology-driven mind,” the Attorney General said.

Venkataramani said the books explored the “hidden dimensions” of justice, lawyering and human behaviour within courtrooms.

“My own understanding of the subtle and lesser-studied dimensions of doing justice, the noble and the not-so-noble, the weird and the lesser facets of human nature revealed in their profane moments, and the utmost secrets of lawyering, stands altered after reading these books,” he said.

He added that the books were not merely collections of humorous anecdotes, but were founded on Mehta’s long experience at the Bar and his deep insight into how the justice system works between the Bar and the Bench.

Describing the books in the “conventional style of affidavits,” the Attorney General said every story was couched in respectful but revealing simple prose, depicting courtrooms, dramatic personage, and happenings and instances of justice, misdelivery, or judicial adventure.

In a lighter moment, Venkataramani joked that after reading the books, he was inclined to file a counter affidavit.

“After reading the books, I am going to file a counter-affidavit today. With the permission of the Honorable Chief Justice, along with my preliminary objections and a book-wise reply, I pray that my counter-affidavit be allowed with heavy costs, which Tusharbhai can certainly afford to pay,” he said.

Mehta, the longest-serving Solicitor General of India, said the books were neither treatises nor critiques of law, but “a collection of true stories.”

“What are these two books? It is quite simple. They are a collection of true stories. Nothing is imaginary or fictional,” he said.

Mehta added that he had consciously avoided using Indian judges, lawyers or courtroom incidents in the books.

“There is a particular peculiarity in being an advocate and publishing books on the lighter side of law. It feels rather like a surgeon writing humorously about his own operation theatre,” he said.

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