Justice Surya Kant emphasized that while Artificial Intelligence can aid research and efficiency in courts, it can never replace human conscience, empathy, or the ability to sense emotion, the true essence of delivering justice.
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SRI LANKA: At the 29th National Law Conference organised by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka in Kandy, Justice Surya Kant, senior-most judge of the Supreme Court of India, delivered a thought-provoking keynote address on “Technology in the Aid of the Legal Profession – A Global Perspective.”
His speech was a masterclass in balance, a call to embrace technology as a transformative force while reaffirming the deeply human essence of justice.
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Justice Surya Kant began by observing how technology has revolutionized the judicial landscape.
Once lined with stacks of paper and overburdened clerical work, courts today are being reshaped by digital dashboards that track filings, listings, and pendency in real time.
“Technology has become a force multiplier for the judiciary and court administration,” he said. “The once paper-heavy corridors of judicial offices are now being replaced by dashboards that ensure transparency and efficiency.”
India’s judiciary has witnessed this transformation firsthand, with virtual hearings, e-filing systems, online dispute resolution, and digital legal aid services making justice more accessible than ever before.
Even as technology revolutionizes courtrooms, Justice Surya Kant reminded the audience that the heart of justice remains profoundly human.
“Technology is a powerful ally, but justice will always be a profoundly human enterprise. The essence of our calling lies not in data or algorithms but in conscience and compassion.”
He emphasized that no machine can replicate the judge’s discernment, the advocate’s reasoning, or the empathy that animates every fair trial. AI can aid, but not replace, the humanity at the core of justice.
“Artificial Intelligence may assist in researching authorities or generating drafts,” he noted, “but it cannot perceive the tremor in a witness’s voice, the anguish behind a petition, or the moral weight of a decision.”
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Justice Surya Kant was clear: technology should augment, not replace, human judgment.
“Let us be crystal clear, we are not replacing the lawyer or the judge; we are simply augmenting their reach and refining their capacity to serve. Let technology be the guide and the human govern.”
He cautioned against overreliance on AI systems, highlighting the dangers of “hallucinations”, fabricated or inaccurate information generated by AI, and latent biases embedded in training data.
“In legal contexts, an error can have dire consequences,” he warned. Hence, human oversight is non-negotiable.
One of the most compelling aspects of Justice Surya Kant’s speech was his reflection on how technology is democratizing access to justice.
“Online grievance portals, virtual Lok Adalats, and digital legal aid services have brought the justice system within reach of the common man, often for the first time.”
He described technology as “the great equaliser,” breaking down geographical and financial barriers that once kept citizens distant from the justice system.
For law students and young lawyers, he said, technology is an extraordinary enabler of learning, opening access to legal databases, virtual moot courts, and interactive global classrooms.
Justice Surya Kant urged the legal fraternity to embrace transformation wisely, by harnessing the benefits of technology while safeguarding the profession’s foundational values of fairness, due process, transparency, human dignity, and accountability.
He called for democratization of legal technology, ensuring that advanced tools do not become privileges of the few. Addressing the need for privacy and data protection, he emphasized that courts and institutions must uphold the highest standards of confidentiality and security.
“We must embed legal technology more deeply in the curriculum of law schools and judicial academies,” he said, suggesting inclusion
Justice Surya Kant concluded with a message that captures the spirit of this digital era:
“We stand at a decisive moment — we can resist technology and risk stagnation, or we can shape and guide it, embedding our legal and ethical values within its design, so that it strengthens, not supplants, justice.”