SUPREME Court Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez has warned against the perils of Artificial Intelligence (AI) even as he underscored its ability to help streamline judicial processes, drive innovation, and enhance efficiency.
Marquez made the remarks in his speech at the recent 2025 Pacific Judicial Conference in Auckland, New Zealand where he discussed the benefits and challenges of technology, including AI.
“With such a powerful tool at our fingertips, we must strike a delicate balance, embracing its potential while remaining vigilant about its risks. Generative AI can drive innovation, streamline workflows, and expand creative possibilities, but its misuse can lead to misinformation, biased decision-making, and ethical dilemmas,” Marquez told the gathering of judiciary leaders from 15 Pacific Island nations, including Singapore, Australia, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom.
The gathering focused on addressing the challenges of maintaining the strength and legitimacy of the judicial branch, especially in the digital era dominated by AI and new media.
Marquez warned that as AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, judges must take extra steps to verify case citations provided by lawyers.
“We must ensure that AI enhances legal practice without compromising accuracy, integrity, and justice,” he added.
Marquez emphasized that judges must harness technology to strengthen judicial institutions while upholding the principles of fairness, independence, and access to justice.
Marquez also highlighted the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovation 2022-2027, adding it is a forward-looking initiative by the Philippine Supreme Court that leverages technology to address challenges in administering and dispensing justice.
He added that the SPJI provides a roadmap for how courts can “harness the benefits of technology while mitigating its risks.”
Its emphasis on innovation, efficiency, and access offers a holistic approach to judicial reform grounded in the principles of timely and fair justice, transparency, and inclusivity,” Marquez said, adding that as part of the initiative, ongoing studies are evaluating AI applications in the Judiciary, focusing on risk management and safeguards to ensure that technology supports judicial impartiality rather than undermines it.
Earlier, the SC partnered with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) to create an electronic verification and case evidence management system and digitize court records.
Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen said the SC’s collaboration with KOICA will strengthen the Judiciary’s ongoing initiatives to modernize court processes and harness AI such as eCourt PH V2.0, CALESA Digital, and the development of voice-to-text applications for trial courts.
Leonen said the SC will establish a framework to govern the use of AI in the Judiciary to ensure a responsible integration across various areas of court operations and management.
The framework will “provide standards for using AI in court administration, such as human resource, finance, and security, as well as in legal research, document analysis, courtroom applications, and case management.”
Last year, Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo said the High Court is actively exploring AI’s potential to enhance judicial efficiency and accuracy.
Gesmundo said AI has a significant potential of AI to assist judges in streamlining administrative tasks, expediting legal research, and predicting judicial outcomes.
Citing examples from foreign jurisdictions, he noted that AI is already used in courts for tasks such as examining evidence and preparing case files.
But Gesmundo stressed that AI should support judicial efficiency but never replace the human elements of justice.
The SC has already commenced the pilot testing of AI technologies, including voice-to-text transcription software for court stenographers in the Sandiganbayan and select first- and second-level courts.
In addition, several offices within the SC are already trialing AI-enhanced platforms designed to streamline legal research.
