IIT-M working on AI to end language barrier in courts

CHENNAI: Soon, when a judge speaks in one language, others may be able to listen to it in their respective languages. In a significant move, the Indian Institute of Technology - Madras (IIT-M) on Monday announced that efforts are being made to do away with the language barrier and use of paper in courts in India with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology.

“An MoU has been signed between the Supreme Court of India and IIT-M on the use of AI in the judicial sector. Language is a challenge in the field of justice. We are working on developing AI technology so that the judge speaks in one language while others listen in their respective languages,” said V Kamakoti, Director of IIT-M, addressing reporters here after the inauguration of the IIT-M Zanzibar campus.

Elaborating on the use of AI in courts, Kamakoti said, “We are trying to use AI to read and summarise the judgments. Efforts are also being made to bring in paperless courts. Techniques are being developed for newcomers to the judicial sector to develop briefs on court proceedings and prior case histories.”

Earlier in the day, the President of Zanzibar, Hussein Ali Mwinyi inaugurated the IIT Madras Zanzibar campus at an event held at the Zanzibar campus in Tanzania in the presence of Tanzanian officials, Indian dignitaries, faculty and students.

“The existing campus in Bweleo district, located approximately 15 km south of Zanzibar Town, is equipped with international amenities designed to meet the current needs of students. A permanent campus will be built soon jointly by the governments of Zanzibar and India,” said a release from IIT-Madras.

While initially, the Institute will offer BS and MTech programs, in Data Science and Artificial Intelligence, more academic programmes will be offered in the coming year. In the first batch at IIT-M Zanzibar, students from Zanzibar, mainland Tanzania, Nepal and India have been admitted with 40 per cent of them being women, the release added.