The world’s first AI lawyer trained and developed by “DoNotPay” was originally scheduled to appear in court in February 2023 to handle a speeding case. Since the report of the case, there have been a series of objections by different people. Due to the strong opposition of human “peers” and the risk of going to jail, the developer of the AI lawyer had to abruptly end the plan. The announcement comes from DoNotPay CEO, Joshua Browder, the company in charge of the AI lawyer.
Browder told NPR that since announcing his court appearance, he has received numerous fiery letters from multiple state bar associations threatening his firm. One of the threats even claims that Browder could go to jail for six months. “Even if there is no real jail time, the threat of criminal charges is enough for me to drop it.”
However, Browder declined to say which state bar associations sent him the threatening letters. He also did not reveal the officials that issued the threat of possible prosecution. But he said DoNotPay is being investigated by several state bar associations, including California.
How the AI lawyer works and the issues
When the AI lawyer appears in court, the defendant in the speeding case will wear smart glasses. It will then record the court session through the camera. The AI lawyer will prompt the defendant how to answer from a speaker. The system relies on a number of AI text generators, including ChatGPT and DaVinci.
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But the problem is that U.S. state courts generally do not allow recording audio during live legal proceedings. AI lawyers need to record audio in court and give answers based on the audio. Thus, for the AI lawyer to work, it technically has to break the law. Browder said DoNotPay will no longer be used in speeding cases. However, it will focus its efforts on helping people deal with costly medical bills, unwanted subscription content and issues with credit reporting agencies.
Browder says he hopes this isn’t the end of AI in court. “The truth is, most people can’t afford a lawyer, and AI lawyers could change that and allow people to use tools like ChatGPT in court, which might help them win.”
AI needs legal supervision and social norms – Nvidia CEO
Nvidia CEO, Jensen Huang said that emerging AI tech will create some powerful tools that require proper legal supervision. He is also of the opinion that there is a need for new social standards. Jensen Huang is one of the most iconic figures in the field of AI because Nvidia’s chips are widely used in the field. The supercomputer built by Microsoft for OpenAI uses Nvidia’s tech. Microsoft also said it would invest billions in OpenAI.
Huang Renxun said: “Remember, if you stop and think about all the things in life that are convenient, beneficial or beautiful to society, it may also have some potential harm.”
Huang Renxun believes that in terms of building a safe AI system, standard-setting organizations need to issue some relevant standards, similar to how medical institutions formulate some safety rules for medical safety practices. Additionally, laws and social norms will also play a key role in AI development.
He said: “What are the social norms for using AI tech? What are the legal norms for using it? These standards have to be developed. At present, everything is developing, and the more we think about it in advance, the more it will make us in a favorable position.”
Huang Renxun made the above remarks at an event in Stockholm. Prior to this, lawmakers such as Ted Lieu, a Democrat in the U.S. had called for the establishment of a U.S. federal agency dedicated to regulating AI.
