After classrooms and offices, ChatGPT enters courtrooms in Punjab, Haryana HC

Punjab and Haryana High Court turned to artificial intelligence (AI) to assist in the bail hearing of an accused, Jaswinder Singh, on Monday. This marked the first instance in any Indian court where OpenAI's ChatGPT chatbot has been utilized to evaluate worldwide perspectives on 'bail jurisprudence'.

Justice Anoop Chitkara's bench, while examining the bail plea, asked the chatbot for its opinion. The defendant was imprisoned in June 2020 for rioting, criminal intimidation, murder, and criminal conspiracy. Jaswinder Singh had approached the HC requesting regular bail.

According to a report by Indian Express, the court records stated that the accused was arrested "due to involvement in a brutal assault carried out by him and his accomplices resulting in the death of an individual."

This is the first official appearance of ChatGPT in a courtroom in India. However, the court clarified that its reference to ChatGPT was not indicative of its view on the case's merits. Rather, it aimed to present a broader perspective on bail jurisprudence.

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According to the report, before delivering the order on the bail plea, the bench asked the AI tool, "What is the jurisprudence on bail when the assailants assaulted with cruelty?"

As per the detailed order of the HC, the ChatGPT response stated that the "jurisprudence on bail for cases where the assailants have assaulted with cruelty will depend on the specific circumstances of the case and the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction where the case is being tried."

The text from ChatGPT further stated that if the assailants have been charged with a violent crime that involves cruelty, they may be considered a danger to the community and a flight risk. In such cases, the judge may refrain from granting bail or set the bail amount very high to ensure that the defendant appears in court without fail and does not pose a threat to public safety.

The response also mentioned that the severity of the assault, the defendant's criminal history, and the evidence against them would be factors to consider before granting bail. 

The bench dismissed the bail plea after hearing the arguments.

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