AI Assists UK Immigration Judges in Rulings

0:00On April 6th, immigration judges in the UK are turning to artificial intelligence for help drafting rulings. They've been trained on a restricted version of Microsoft's co-pilot tool to prep for hearings and create basic judgment outlines. The justice system is swamped with a record backlog of immigration appeals, which nearly doubled last year to 104,400 cases. That means rejected asylum seekers, state and taxpayer-funded spots like hotels while waiting. Independent leaders support this move. Justice Secretary David Lamy noted some judges already use AI for notes and remarks. A top adviser even pushed for AI in criminal sentencing to assess risks better. Training materials guide judges to generate case overviews, timelines of evidence, lists of disputes and decision templates. A senior judge said it helps them master issues before hearings. But AI sticks to summaries, no analysis, and judges own every call. Depots can just flag omissions in final drafts.

1:02Still, caution flags popped up last October when a barrister cited fake cases from Shad GPT and an asylum hearing. Courts insist AI boosts efficiency but never replaces human decisions, keeping the focus on real justice.