Man used AI avatar for court argument—judges identified it quickly
What's the story
In a bizarre incident, Jerome Dewald, the plaintiff in a case, used an artificial intelligence (AI) avatar to argue at the New York State Supreme Court.
The AI-generated figure appeared before a panel of judges on March 26, as part of an employment dispute case.
However, the judges soon realized that the person addressing them in a video not only had no law degree but wasn't even real.
Revelation
AI avatar's identity revealed in court
Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels, a judge at the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division's First Judicial Department, was the first to question the authenticity of the AI avatar.
"The appellant has submitted a video for his argument. Ok. We will hear that video now," she announced before proceeding.
A smiling, youthful man appeared on screen—sculpted hair, button-down, sweater. He then introduced himself as: "I come here today a humble pro se before a panel of five distinguished justices."
Confirmation
Judges' skepticism confirmed
As soon as the man spoke, Manzanet-Daniels said, "Ok, hold on. Is that counsel for the case?" questioning Dewald about the identity of his digital representative.
The judges' skepticism was then validated when Dewald admitted that the avatar wasn't real.
"I generated that. That's not a real person," he confessed before Justice Manzanet-Daniels.
The judge expressed her disappointment, saying, "It would have been nice to know that when you made your application."
Apology
Dewald's explanation and apology
Later, Dewald apologized to the court for his actions, clarifying that he meant no harm.
He said he had no lawyer to represent him in the lawsuit and thought the avatar would deliver his arguments more clearly.
Speaking to The Associated Press, Dewald said he sought permission from the court to play a pre-recorded video and used an AI tool developed by a San Francisco-based tech company for creating the avatar.
"The court was really upset about it," Dewald conceded.
Concerns
AI use in legal proceedings raises concerns
The incident has sparked questions over the use of AI in legal proceedings.
In June 2023, two lawyers and a law firm were fined $5,000 each by a federal judge in New York after they used an AI tool for legal research and ended up citing non-existent cases created by the chatbot.
The involved firm called it a "good faith mistake" for failing to understand that AI could generate false information.
AI adoption
Arizona Supreme Court embraces AI avatars
Unlike Dewald's experience, the Arizona Supreme Court has welcomed AI with open arms.
Last month, the court started using two AI-generated avatars—"Daniel" and "Victoria"—to summarize court rulings for the public to understand.
This proactive approach shows a different attitude toward integrating technology into legal proceedings than Dewald's experience in New York.