AI Can Assist, Not Decide: Kerala HC Sets Boundaries For Tech in Courts

In a first, the Kerala High Court has issued a policy regulating AI use by judges and court staff in the state’s district judiciary.

While courts may adopt technology, the policy stresses that human reasoning must remain central to delivering justice.

The policy permits limited, supervised AI use for administrative tasks but strictly prohibits its use in judicial decision-making.

Judges are barred from using generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or Deepseek to draft orders, determine reliefs, or reach conclusions.

Only AI tools specifically approved by the High Court or Supreme Court may be used—and solely for non-judicial work. Any exceptions must be documented.

District courts must document AI use and ensure all outputs, including translations, are properly reviewed. Judges, it added, must remain fully responsible for the content and integrity of all rulings.