India Must Rewire Laws for the AI Era, Says Supreme Court Judge

Law Needs a Software Update

India’s legal framework must rapidly adapt to govern the pervasive rise of artificial intelligence, according to Supreme Court judge Justice Manmohan. Speaking at the India Legal Tech Summit & Awards 2024, he warned that existing legislative and regulatory structures are not equipped to handle the scale and complexity of AI implementation across critical sectors. Drawing parallels with the global discourse on ethical AI development, Justice Manmohan stressed that while AI offers unprecedented capabilities for innovation and efficiency, it is equally capable of producing misuse and bias if left unchecked. He called for a proactive review of civil and criminal law to create a new legal paradigm that aligns with emerging AI technologies.

Balancing Innovation with Accountability

Justice Manmohan highlighted specific concerns around AI’s role in policing, sentencing, public health, and surveillance. He posed critical questions on legal responsibility when autonomous systems fail or are maliciously used. The judge also touched on the potential for AI to uproot existing power dynamics, urging lawmakers, technologists, and civil society to engage in building a framework that embeds fairness, transparency, and accountability. He advocated for AI impact assessments and robust data governance structures to ensure that technological progress does not outpace legal safeguards. The judiciary, he noted, must itself be digitally literate to adjudicate on such complex, tech-driven matters.

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