Judge Geoffrey Vos says AI could decide civil cases

Geoffrey Vos, who is about to leave his position as Master of the Rolls, the most senior role in England’s civil justice system, told Wired that artificial intelligence could eventually resolve civil disputes more quickly and at lower cost. He cited personal injury claims and low-value professional negligence cases as examples that could be adjudicated by AI, while complex commercial disputes and sensitive family cases would remain the responsibility of human judges.

Current guidance advises judges in England to limit AI use to administrative tasks. Vos said he uses Microsoft Copilot to locate documents and summarize large volumes of text, but not to write judgments. Wired also reports problems including AI-generated case-law citations, a lawyer’s recent loss of their professional license partly over misuse of the technology, and a rise in claims filed by litigants using chatbots as legal advisers. For Vos, the central question is where to draw the line.