Ministers say safeguards will be required as AI generated transcripts are tested in courts
The Government has confirmed that artificial intelligence is being tested to produce court transcripts, while acknowledging that safeguards will be required to identify and correct errors in criminal proceedings.
In a written parliamentary response, Sarah Sackman addressed a question from James McMurdock on whether AI-generated transcripts are adequate for use in criminal courts and how mistakes would be handled.
Ms Sackman said HM Courts & Tribunals Service recognises the “significant potential” of AI transcription technology to improve productivity across courts and tribunals. As a result, HMCTS is piloting automated transcription tools across the justice system, including within criminal courts.
The minister confirmed that this work forms part of a wider programme of 15 AI Exemplar projects being taken forward across government. These initiatives are intended to test where artificial intelligence can be deployed safely and effectively within public services.
According to the response, HMCTS completed testing at the start of 2025 on the use of AI transcription in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber. That testing showed what the department described as “strong accuracy” and demonstrated the potential for efficiency gains through AI-enabled transcription.
While the pilot work has not yet been rolled out across criminal courts, the Government indicated that any wider adoption would be subject to strict safeguards. Ms Sackman said that, in line with HMCTS Responsible AI principles, robust processes would be established before AI-generated transcripts are scaled up across courts and tribunals.
Those processes would specifically address how transcription errors are identified, how they can be challenged by parties to proceedings, and how corrections would be made. The response did not set out detailed mechanisms, but confirmed that these issues would be central to any expansion of the technology.
The question raised concerns about the reliability of AI-generated transcripts in criminal proceedings, where accurate records of hearings can be critical to trials, appeals and sentencing. The Government’s reply stopped short of confirming that AI transcripts would replace human-produced records, focusing instead on pilots and future safeguards.
HMCTS has previously emphasised that new technologies must support, rather than undermine, the fairness and integrity of the justice system. The minister’s response reiterated that position, indicating that efficiency gains would not come at the expense of proper oversight.
No timeline was given for any decision on the wider use of AI-generated transcripts in criminal courts. The Government said further work would be guided by testing outcomes and by adherence to Responsible AI principles before any national implementation is considered.