In a first, SC to use AI to live transcribe proceedings on experimental basis

New Delhi: In a first, the Supreme Court started using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing technology for live transcription of its hearings on an experimental basis from Tuesday.

The live transcription has been launched in the courtroom of Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud.

The Constitution bench proceedings will be transcribed from Tuesday and given to lawyers for vetting prior to uploading on the Supreme Court website.

This will be on an experimental basis for a day or two to iron out creases in transcription before becoming a norm, the CJI said.

“Do you see the screen? We’re just trying to explore the possibilities of live transcript. Then we will have a permanent record of arguments. Law colleges can analyse,” the bench headed by the CJI said as the Constitution bench hearing commenced.

“We’ll see how it works, especially in the Constitution bench matters, because then we’ll have a permanent record of arguments,” the CJI said, adding that Artificial Intelligence (AI) and natural language processing technology for live transcription of its hearings would be used.

The CJI-headed Constitution bench is hearing the case related to the 2022 power struggle in Maharashtra.

The CJI said: “The only thing is that if there are two or more voices at the same time, that causes a little bit of a problem. But they obviously have personnel who will clean up the errors by the evening. They suggested that during the course of the day, the counsel will get the link, so the counsel can look at it. By evening, they would have cleaned up the transcript and given it to us”.

Justice Narasimha pointed out: “In virtual court proceedings, anyone who wants to interrupt would lift their finger so that there is no cross-talk”. He said this can be followed in the physical hearings too so that there is no overlap of arguments.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was present in the courtroom, termed it a “milestone and wonderful decision”.