India Supreme Court Warns Against AI-Generated Fake Judgments

The Supreme Court of India declared the citation of non-existent or incorrect legal judgments generated by artificial intelligence as a rampant menace affecting judicial systems in India and globally. A bench consisting of Justices Rajesh Bindal and Vijay Bishnoi made these observations while hearing a special leave petition filed by Heart and Soul Entertainment Ltd. regarding remarks made by the Bombay High Court.

The issue arose after the Bombay High Court discovered a litigant had submitted AI-generated text and a fabricated case titled 'Jyoti w/o Dinesh Tulsiani Vs. Elegant Associates'. While the Supreme Court agreed to expunge the High Court's adverse remarks against the petitioner as a matter of indulgence, the justices emphasized that relying on fabricated precedents constitutes professional misconduct rather than a simple mistake.

The court warned that such practices waste precious judicial resources and undermine the integrity of the adjudicatory process. The justices noted that while AI may assist in legal research and administration, all outputs must undergo mandatory human verification to prevent hallucinations and reliability gaps. The court further referenced separate instances where trial courts relied on fake AI judgments in civil disputes, noting that such actions could lead to legal consequences.