A Pennsylvania program is teaching judges how to use AI in court work

A program centered in Pennsylvania is giving state and federal judicial officials AI training and support. The goal is to help them see how the technology can assist their daily work. The story, from Law.com, is titled "From ChatGPT to Court Chambers: Penn Program Aims to Build Judicial AI Fluency."

What judges are saying

U.S. District Judge Joshua D. Wolson of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania said judges are "cognizant of the challenges that AI is posing for us." He added that they are also "intrigued by the possibilities that it could help us do our jobs more efficiently."

Why your chats matter

The same coverage points to a wave of lawsuits over generative AI in discovery, the stage where each side hands over evidence. Courts are working out when your prompts, the AI's answers and your chat history are protected.

• Courts treat a lawyer's use of AI differently from a client researching alone.
• Facts are treated differently from litigation strategy.
• Consumer AI platforms may defeat confidentiality because of their privacy policies.
• Work-product protection can survive if materials were made for litigation and not shared with opponents.

Work product is a legal shield for materials prepared for a case. It is broader than privilege, which protects confidential communications.

What is not known yet

The available text does not say how many judges take part, what the training covers or how long the program has run. It also does not say how courts will rule in future cases. The rules on AI chats are still taking shape.