A.I. In the Courtroom?
It seems like everything has been affected by the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the results are a mixed bag.
So here is the question: Is A.I. Ready to Create My Courtroom Demonstratives?
With a mix of curiosity and skepticism, I decided to test an A.I.-powered tool specifically designed for visuals (Adobe’s Firefly). “Firefly” is one of the better image generative A.I. programs on the market. Keep in mind most of the image generating a.i. programs are in their infancy (beta) and will develop and improve in the future.
The Process:
My first step was to break down my demonstrative concept into simple and concise language, which is a good idea no matter how you create your demonstratives. I uploaded that language into “Firefly” and revised/added content based on my results.
Were the results promising?
The first results were not very good at all. (see Figure A) While “Firefly” was able to create some basic visual concepts from the prompt they also created A LOT of weird connections. These strange visuals did make me go back to my prompts and revise language and that made the images a little less weird. A.I. could get some of the images correct but never putting them together into something that made sense. Bottom line, I was never able to get a visual that would be helpful as a demonstrative for a courtroom setting.
What were the positives?
Figure A
The process of writing/revising the text prompts did force me to really think about what I needed to show the jury. Some of the images the A.I. program created were interesting concepts that lead me to think about the visual in another way. All in all, I saw it as a brain-storming session with visuals.
How should I create a Demonstratives for my case?
Start off by writing down ideas and concepts that describe your case. Start with a statement like "I want to jury to understand _______ after they study my demonstrative for 10 seconds". Fine-tune that language by talking them through with colleagues and friends, then get in touch with a designer/illustrator that works in the demonstrative exhibit field. The role of a skilled designer/illustrator goes beyond translating words into visuals; they have the capacity to infuse creativity, empathy, and strategic thinking into their work.
A trained professional will allow you to move more quickly and efficiently through the creative process. Secondly, that designer/illustrator will be able to make those case-specific changes you will need in the final stretches of making your demonstrative. It was wildly evident that the trained designer/illustrator extended beyond the realm of A.I.’s data processing and algorithmic efficiency to give me something that the ordinary juror could relate with and understand. (see Figure B)
Figure B
Summary
As this process concluded, I couldn't help but reflect on the role of A.I. in the courtroom. While it undeniably has a place in streamlining certain aspects of legal work, the human touch remains irreplaceable. A.I., in it's present state, lacks the ability to truly understand the human condition, ethics, and the intricate dynamics of your case.