AI use by federal judges is broad but infrequent, new study shows
A new study reveals over 60% of federal judges have used AI tools, but daily or weekly use remains under 25%.Summary
A recent study by Northwestern University surveyed 112 federal judges and found that more than 60% have used at least one artificial intelligence tool in their work. Nearly one in four judges use these tools on a daily or weekly basis. Judges are more likely to utilize legal technology platforms like Thomson Reuters’ CoCounsel and vLex’s Vincent AI, with 30% using AI for legal research and 15.5% for document review. However, over 45.5% of judges report that their court administration has not offered AI training, and a significant portion either formally prohibit or discourage AI use in their chambers. Approximately 24.1% lack an official policy on AI use. Daniel W. Linna Jr., director of law and technology initiatives at Northwestern University, emphasizes the need for “training, best practices and clear policies” as “AI is here; it’s not going anywhere.” The study was published by the Sedona Conference with co-publication by the New York City Bar Association.
(Source：Aba Journal)