The use of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot, by lawyers in a High Court case in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, has raised serious ethical concerns. Initially, AI was intended to aid their legal arguments by providing case examples. However, when the judge independently verified the citations, he discovered many were fictitious and not found in legal databases. The court ruled against the plaintiff, criticizing the legal team’s reliance on questionable AI-generated research as “lazy.” Legal experts, including Tayla Pinto, warn that misuse of AI in the legal field could create mistrust among judges. The South African Legal Practice Council highlights that blind citation of AI-generated content can lead to negligence claims. Calls for clearer guidelines on the ethical use of AI in legal research are growing. There is an urgent need for legal professionals to adopt responsible AI practices and ensure compliance with existing ethical standards to protect the integrity of the judicial process.
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