German Justice Ministers Unite on Artificial Intelligence in the Judiciary
In a joint statement issued on Thursday, the German federal and state justice ministers agreed to leverage the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in the judiciary. The ministers believe that the use of AI can bring significant efficiency gains and optimize business processes in the justice system, while also facilitating contact between litigants and the courts and public prosecutors.
The ministers emphasized that, despite the potential of AI, the final decision-making process must always be human-led. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig, of the Social Democratic Party, emphasized the importance of digitalization in the justice system, stating, “Only with a consistent digitalization will we maintain the operational capability of the judiciary and thus strengthen the rule of law.”
The use of AI in the judiciary can support routine tasks, the handling of mass proceedings and the analysis of large data sets, according to the ministers. However, they also stressed that AI cannot replace human decision-making in the justice system and that the judiciary only functions with the people who work in it every day.
Germany has already been applying AI in various areas of the judiciary, with multiple projects currently underway, some of which are funded by the federal government’s digitalization initiative for the judiciary. The joint statement marks a new pact for the rule of law, with a focus on the continuation of joint digitalization projects.