AI Rise Challenging But Will Make Human Judicial Wisdom More Essential, Says CJ

PETALING JAYA, Oct 3 (Bernama) -- The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) poses one of the most pressing 'res nova' or new and unprecedented challenges for the judiciary, particularly in ensuring accountability, fairness and integrity in judicial decision-making, Chief Justice Datuk Seri Wan Ahmad Farid Wan Salleh said. 

He said the rise of AI has introduced legal issues never contemplated by legal predecessors, from automated decision-making to its use in legal practice itself, raising questions of responsibility and even personhood.

"Some fear that AI will replace judicial reasoning. I believe the opposite is true. AI will make human judicial wisdom more essential, not less," he said in his keynote address at the Selangor Bar Law Conference 2025 themed 'Res Nova' here today.

Also present were Court of Appeal President Datuk Abu Bakar Jais, Chief Judge of Malaya Tan Sri Hasnah Mohammed Hashim and Chief Judge of Sabah and Sarawak Datuk Azizah Nawawi.

The term 'res nova' is a Latin phrase that translates to 'a new thing'. In legal contexts, it refers to a legal issue or cases that have not previously been decided by the courts.

Justice Wan Ahmad Farid said AI can analyse large volumes of legal data, identify patterns and highlight relevant precedents quickly, but it lacks the capacity to assess human factors that form the core of justice.

“AI cannot determine the credibility of witnesses, the equitable considerations that justice demands or the constitutional values that must guide our interpretation of law,” he said.

He added that although courts are already leveraging AI tools for case management, legal research and administrative efficiency, the application of legal principles to human circumstances remains an irreducibly human task.

“The question is not whether AI will change how we practise law; it already has. The question is how we ensure that these technological tools serve justice rather than substitute it.

"The theme "Res Nova" reminds us that the law is not a static monument to past wisdom, but a living system that must evolve to serve each generation's needs while maintaining continuity with enduring principles of justice," he said.

-- BERNAMA