The UK government will put artificial intelligence-powered paralegals on trial at the Royal Courts of Justice in a bid to reduce a record backlog of criminal cases and speed up proceedings.The Justice Department said judges and lawyers will test the AI tools in controlled environments before rolling them out more broadly. The technology will help analyze case files, identify cases ready for trial and group similar hearings together to better utilize court time.Justice Minister David Lammy is expected to announce the move at London Tech Week on Tuesday, describing AI as a tool that can help modernize the justice system and provide faster outcomes for victims, The Independent reported.The move comes as the backlog at the Crown Courts of England and Wales has climbed to 80,000 cases, more than double the 38,108 cases recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.The government will also launch an AI-powered transcription tool for probation officers in England and Wales. The system will automatically record and transcribe conversations with criminals, reducing administrative workload.“Artificial intelligence has the power to improve the way we live, work and govern,” Lamy said, adding that the technology could help reduce court delays while saving thousands of hours of administrative work.The plans have been met with caution by legal authorities.Ian Jeffrey, chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales, said the pilot project should be thoroughly evaluated and the results made public. He stressed that technology should support access to justice but cannot replace investment in courts and staffing.Andrew Thomas KC, vice-president of the Criminal Bar Association, said artificial intelligence could handle day-to-day tasks more efficiently, but warned judges and lawyers must be aware of its limitations.Criminal cases still require human judgment and careful evaluation of evidence, he said, adding that AI should support legal professionals rather than replace them.
