Dominican judge warns AI cannot replace human role

Dominican Supreme Court Justice Justiniano Montero Montero has cautioned against the use of artificial intelligence in the judiciary, stating that AI cannot substitute for human judges. He highlighted the significant risk of AI generating false information that appears credible.

"Technology cannot replace the function of a judge, because there is the figure of the natural judge, and that is not negotiable," Montero stated during his performance evaluation before the National Council of the Magistracy. He explained that while digital tools can streamline and enhance justice administration, they should not be used to delegate judicial decision-making.

Montero specifically pointed out that artificial intelligence has a high potential for "delirium," leading it to produce falsehoods that can be mistaken for technological truths. This warning comes as the Dominican Judicial Branch begins incorporating AI tools, including a pilot project with Microsoft Copilot in the Supreme Court's First Chamber, which Montero presides over. The institution maintains that these technologies should support, not replace, judicial judgment.

The justice also defended the importance of maintaining the "human face of justice administration" amidst technological transformation, a topic central to his academic work on judicial ethics. During his evaluation, Montero also discussed the functioning of the First Chamber, noting that the "interest casacional" mechanism has restricted access to the Supreme Court. He revealed that out of approximately 300 decisions, over 200 were declared inadmissible under this rule, indicating a stricter approach to case acceptance.