Citing AI-generated judgments raises questions of responsibility: Supreme Court Justice Kotiswar Singh

Supreme Court judge Justice N Kotiswar Singh on Wednesday cautioned against the practice of citing AI-generated judgments in courts, stressing that the legitimacy of judicial decisions ultimately rests on human accountability.

He said,

"Recently, it has been encountered that AI-generated judgments are being cited before various Courts. This is not merely a question of improper citation; it is a question of responsibility.”

Delivering the keynote address at the Inter-Pacific Bar Association (IPBA) Welcome Reception in New Delhi, Justice Singh flagged what he described as a concerning development in courtrooms.

He underscored that judicial authority derives from accountability rather than technological efficiency.

“Judicial authority does not flow from the elegance of language or the speed of production of judgments. It flows from accountability, from a human decision-maker who can explain, defend and, if necessary, correct the reasoning adopted.”

Placing the issue within the broader transformation of the legal profession, Justice Singh observed that technology is already embedded in justice delivery. He observed,

“Technology is not the future of courts; it is already part of the present infrastructure of justice."

He added that digital systems must strengthen transparency and access without diluting institutional legitimacy.

“For a judge, that language matters. "Digital" is not a decorated adjective; it is a promise to make justice simpler...harder to distort, and easier to evaluate...”

Justice Singh also addressed the evolution of dispute resolution and the growing importance of mediation.

“We must recognise mediation and settlement as high-skilled work."

He further noted that cross-border commerce increasingly depends on compatibility between legal systems.

“Stability increasingly comes not from uniform rules, but from interoperable rules.”

Justice Singh concluded by highlighting the role of international legal organisations in shaping the development of law across jurisdictions.

“Law does not develop only inside statutes and the courtrooms. It develops inside professional communities that share knowledge, set standards and build relationships across borders.”

He emphasised that collaboration among lawyers, judges and institutions plays a critical role in shaping legal norms in a rapidly changing world.

Priti Suri, founder and managing partner of PSA Legal Counsellors and President-Elect of the IPBA, spoke about the organisational effort behind hosting the 34th annual conference in New Delhi.

She described the months leading up to the conference as marked by constant recalibration and coordination across jurisdictions.