AI set to invade UK courts as government pushes full justice system overhaul

Government unveils sweeping AI plan to transform courts, staff, and case administration

Artificial intelligence will soon be woven into the fabric of the UK justice system, under a sweeping new government strategy that aims to transform everything from court transcriptions to case administration.

The Ministry of Justice’s AI Action Plan for Justice, published last week, sets out three core priorities: embedding AI throughout the justice process, establishing a dedicated Justice AI Unit, and forging partnerships with legal service providers and regulators to accelerate AI-driven innovation.

Lord Timpson — minister for prisons, probation, and reducing reoffending — said the initiative will “harness the power of AI to transform the public’s experience”. He stressed that the MoJ is “fundamentally rethinking its use of technology” to improve outcomes for the public while contributing to economic growth.

One of the most significant changes already under way is a pilot scheme by HM Courts and Tribunals Service to use AI for transcribing hearings and oral judgments. The trial, conducted in the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, is designed to speed up slow manual transcription processes, create transcripts where none currently exist, and widen public access to court proceedings. Early results have been “encouraging”, with the government now exploring options to expand the scheme if funding allows.

The plan also details the development of a generative AI knowledge retrieval assistant — a system that can interrogate more than 300 unstructured documents to answer staff queries. It then provides a plain-language summary along with a direct citation to the source material. According to the Ministry, the pilot demonstrated that court staff could retrieve and digest vital information far more quickly, significantly accelerating the pace of case administration. Following this success, officials are examining ways to scale up the tool’s use.

The Law Society has welcomed the reforms, while urging that innovation must be balanced by safeguards. Ian Jeffery, chief executive, said the plan underscores “the opportunities AI offers to strengthen the legal system”, but warned of the importance of mitigating risks. The Society’s own AI strategy emphasises innovation, impact, and integrity to ensure technology benefits both the public and legal professionals in an ethical way.

Jeffery also renewed calls for the government to develop a free AI-powered legal guidance tool modelled on the NHS 111 system. Such a service, he said, could help people understand their legal rights and identify the best route to address issues in areas such as divorce, housing, wills, and employment.

The Ministry insists the rollout will be underpinned by responsible use, with AI tools tested and adapted to meet high standards of fairness, efficiency, and transparency. Advocates say the technology could reduce delays, ease administrative burdens, and widen access to justice.

Critics, however, are expected to raise concerns about potential bias in AI systems, data protection, and the risk of over-reliance on automated processes in sensitive legal matters. While the plan stops short of automating decision-making by judges, it marks one of the most ambitious attempts yet to embed AI into a national justice system.

As the pilots expand and the Justice AI Unit takes shape, ministers are betting that the benefits will outweigh the risks — and that London can position itself as a global leader in AI-enabled justice.