Would you let an AI represent you in court?
This sounds far-fetched even for my sensibilities. But, apparently there’s an app that will defend you in court over fine disputes. The company that created the app is called DoNotPay, and according to the company, the app will tell you what to say in court.
I understand the purpose of such an app, and its certainty would bridge a rather massive gap in the criminal justice system as well as provide people with a more affordable alternative to an expensive human lawyer. However, I can also think of a few pitfalls of such technology. We’ll focus on the positive in this article though.
The DoNotPay app will use AI to listen to all testimony and statements made by witnesses, lawyers, and the judge. This will be the first time AI has been used as a tool in a courtroom. The app will be utilized next month by a defendant to challenge a speeding ticket, although it could also be used in more significant cases in the future. The app has been around for some time, and it can be used to get advice on how to fight corporations, beat bureaucracy, find hidden money, sue anyone, and automatically cancel your free trials.
The AI-powered app is due to be used in a courtroom next month by a defendant to challenge a speeding ticket. The app is designed to listen to all testimony and statements made by witnesses, lawyers, and the judge in the courtroom. The app's founder, Joshua Browder, argues that the app should be classified as a hearing aid, and thus, it is technically within the rules, However, there is still contention concerning whether the app can morally be used in the spirit of the rules of the court. The company promises to pay any penalties imposed for using the app and will pay anyone with an upcoming case to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court $1 million if they were to use the app. That’s the fastest way to make a cool mil I’ve ever heard - outside of The Sims, of course.
The AI has received training on a variety of different case laws including immigration. However, it will only make factual statements and will not try to win your case for you. The app's creator, Joshua Browder, wants to minimize legal liability and the app is not designed to twist facts or be too manipulative, you know, like lawyers are. The program is also not designed to automatically react to certain statements. As the app’s founder implied, sometimes silence is the most appropriate answer.
According to previous reports, the app has already been used in conjunction with a synthesized voice to argue with staff at a bank. The app successfully resulted in the reversal of bank fees on behalf of its customers. ‘It is the most mind-blowing thing I have ever done. It is only $16 that we got reversed, but that is the perfect job for AI – who has time to waste on hold for $16?’
What about the app’s legality in court?
While the DoNotPay app's use in the courtroom has generated interest, some experts, such as Dr. Nikos Aletras, a computer scientist from Sheffield University, have raised concerns about its legality. Dr. Aletras believes that using recording gear in court would violate certain U.K. laws, including the Contempt of Court Act of 1981. Neil Brown, an employee of the law firm decoded.legal, also delivered a statement concerning the app’s use in a court of law.
‘It appears to involve transmitting the audio to a third party's servers and processing that audio within the resulting computer system. I'd have thought a judge might well conclude it was being recorded, even if deleted soon afterwards. So probably not something to try here unless you fancy contempt proceedings, at least not without checking it with the judge first.’
We’ll see how the first trial using DoNotPay fares, and we’ll keep you updated. With that, I’m off to write about some more AI.
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Uhh, this has already been possible – I am not sure how but remember my brother telling me about it. I’m not a whatsapp user so not sure of the specifics, but something about sending the image as a file and somehow bypassing the default compression settings that are applied to inbound photos.
He has also used this to share movies to whatsapp groups, and files 1Gb+.
Like I said, I never used whatsapp, but I know 100% this isn’t a “brand new feature”, my brother literally showed me him doing it, like… 5 months ago?
Martin, what happened to those: 12 Comments (https://www.ghacks.net/chatgpt-gets-schooled-by-princeton-university/#comments). Is there a specific justifiable reason why they were deleted?
Hmm, it looks like the gHacks website database is faulty, and not populating threads with their relevant cosponsoring posts.
The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk that it’s about to be deleted from my ‘daily reads’.
It’s really like “Press Release as re-written by some d*ck for clicks…poorly.” And the subjects are laughable. Can’t wait for “How to search for files on Windows”.
> The page on ghacks this is on represents the best of why it has become so worthless, fill of click-bait junk…
Sadly, I have to agree.
Only Martin and Ashwin are worth subscribing to.
Especially Emre Çitak and Shaun are the worst ones.
If ghacks.net intended “Clickbait”, it would mark the end of Ghacks Technology News.
Ghacks doesn’t need crappy clickbaits. Clearly separate articles from newer authors (perhaps AIs and external sales person or external advertising man) as just “Advertisements”!
We, the subscribers of Ghacks, urge Martin to make a decision.
because nevermore wants to “monetize” on every aspect of human life…
“Threads” is like the Walmart of Social Media.
How hard can it be to clone a twitter version of that as well? They’re slow.
Yes, why not mention how large the HD files can be?
Why, not mention what version of WhatsApp is needed?
These omissions make the article feel so bare. If not complete.
Sorry posted on the wrong page.
such a long article for such a simple matter. Worthless article ! waste of time
I already do this by attaching them via the ‘Document’ option.
I don’t know what’s going on here at Ghacks but it’s obvious that something is broken, comments are being mixed whatever the article, I am unable to find some of my later posts neither. :S
Quoting the article,
“As users gain popularity, the value of their tokens may increase, allowing investors to reap rewards.”
Besides, beyond the thrill and privacy risks or not, the point is to know how you gain popularity, be it on social sites as everywhere in life. Is it by being authentic, by remaining faithful to ourselves or is it to have this particular skill which is to understand what a majority likes, just like politicians, those who’d deny to the maximum extent compatible with their ideological partnership, in order to grab as many of the voters they can?
I see the very concept of this Friend.tech as unhealthy, propagating what is already an increasing flaw : the quest for fame. I won’t be the only one to count himself out, definitely.
@John G. is right : my comment was posted on [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/08/23/what-is-friend-tech/] and it appears there but as well here at [https://www.ghacks.net/2023/07/08/how-to-follow-everyone-on-threads/]
This has been lasting for several days. Fix it or at least provide some explanations if you don’t mind.
> Google Chrome is following in Safari’s footsteps by introducing a new feature that allows users to move the Chrome address bar to the bottom of the screen, enhancing user accessibility and interaction.
Firefox did this long before Safari.
Basically they’ll do anything except fair royalties.