Queensland Courts has released a set of guidelines aimed at non-lawyers to ensure the ethical and responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in legal processes. These guidelines are targeted at those who are representing themselves (or others) in any civil or criminal proceedings in Queensland courts and tribunals.
AI technologies offer significant potential to streamline court operations, making them more efficient and accessible. However, the integration of AI into these processes must be carefully managed to avoid potential pitfalls and ensure that justice is served equitably. The court guidelines provide a clear and practical framework for non-lawyers who engage with AI in a court context, suggesting that non-lawyers:
- Educate themselves about generative AI tools, what they are (and what they are not), and when they are suitable to be used
- Do not input any private, confidential, suppressed or legally privileged information when using generative AI tools
- Remain mindful that it is an individual’s responsibility to ensure information relied upon or provided to a court or tribunal is accurate
- Be conscious of ethical issues, such as copyright or plagiarism
- Follow general cybersecurity best practices to ensure their own security and that of the courts and tribunals.
The guidelines also provide a glossary of key AI terms as well as frequently asked questions for scenarios on how generative AI chatbots work, the information they may generate, and best use cases for AI chatbots.
For a full reading of the guidance, see here.
