Advising that artificial intelligence (AI) should be used as a tool and not as a master substitute, the Andhra Pradesh High Court recently, while hearing a writ petition, declared an attached affidavit to be a “product of artificial intelligence” and directed the advocates to be “careful” with the tool.

Justice Subba Reddy Satti was hearing a plea filed by the petitioner seeking directions to the authorities to conduct an investigation based on his complaint written on January 5, 2023, and, consequently, to register an FIR. The court was also requested to call for the records of a civil case from a trial court in Kakinada and to set aside the implementation of a court order.

“AI may assist research and drafting, but responsibility for verifying every authority and fact rests with the advocate or the adjudicator, and AI-generated output is no defence to fabricated content.…