{"id":4585,"date":"2025-11-21T09:57:05","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T09:57:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/?p=4585"},"modified":"2026-03-06T09:14:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T09:14:29","slug":"why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Why AI Still Can\u2019t Replace Human Judgment in Courts: Insights from INCOLEM 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_80 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#AI_Is_Helpful_But_It_Does_Not_Think_Like_Humans\" >AI Is Helpful, But It Does Not Think Like Humans<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#Human_Oversight_Is_Still_Essential\" >Human Oversight Is Still Essential<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#Justice_Needs_a_Human_Touch\" >Justice Needs a Human Touch<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#Dharma_and_the_Need_for_Ethical_AI_Laws\" >Dharma and the Need for Ethical AI Laws<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#Global_Voices_Shared_Concerns\" >Global Voices, Shared Concerns<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#SRM_University_Delhi-NCR_Sonepats_Role_in_Shaping_the_Future\" >SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat\u2019s Role in Shaping the Future<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/why-ai-still-cant-replace-human-judgment-in-courts-insights-from-incolem-2025\/#Why_Human_Judgment_Still_Matters\" >Why Human Judgment Still Matters<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The INCOLEM 2025 conference at SRM University brought together legal thinkers from all over the world. Everyone came with one big question: Can AI ever replace human judgment in courts?<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By the end of the conference, the answer was clear. AI can help, but it cannot replace the human mind, heart, and conscience that justice demands.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"AI_Is_Helpful_But_It_Does_Not_Think_Like_Humans\"><\/span><b>AI Is Helpful, But It Does Not Think Like Humans<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honourable Justice Dinesh Maheshwari opened the discussions with a strong reminder. He said that AI is only a supplement, not an alternative to human knowledge.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI does not understand the truth. It does not feel any responsibility. It produces responses as per the patterns, even when the responses are wrong. In courts, where lives and rights are associated, this can even be more dangerous.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some of the key concerns that he raised are marked below:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI has no independent thinking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot check its own answers are correct<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It has no emotional understanding of situations<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It might create mistakes that humans should correct later.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Justice Maheshwari also warned about the confusion around accountability. If AI makes a mistake, we do not know who should be blamed. This uncertainty shows why AI cannot make decisions in legal procedures.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4586\" src=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-1024x536.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-1024x536.webp 1024w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-300x157.webp 300w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-768x402.webp 768w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-400x209.webp 400w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-800x419.webp 800w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat-1160x607.webp 1160w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-sonepat.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Human_Oversight_Is_Still_Essential\"><\/span><b>Human Oversight Is Still Essential<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Honorable Justice Mohan Peris from Sri Lanka added another layer to the discussion. He agreed that AI is now a part of the legal work. Lawyers use it for research, drafting, and writing judgments. It saves time and reduces the overall workload.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He stressed that even with all this help, AI must remain under human control at all times. Humans create algorithms. Humans set rules, and they must decide what is right and wrong.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to him:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI improves speed, not wisdom<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It supports decisions but cannot make them<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot understand the moral duty and social context<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Judges must always check and approve what AI produces.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI can be smart with data, but human judgment understands the emotions, intentions, fear and hope. That is something no machine can do.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Justice_Needs_a_Human_Touch\"><\/span><b>Justice Needs a Human Touch<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Professor Upendra Baxi spoke deeply about the human soul of justice. He said something very powerful: technology cannot deliver justice as it does not feel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Justice is not just about rules. It is all about fairness, compassion, and understanding the lived experiences of people.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He informed everyone that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Technology can be used for harm if not properly monitored<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Machines cannot carry the moral responsibility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human rights impact the assessments that must be done before releasing new technology<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without empathy, justice becomes cold as well as mechanical.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The message he had was simple. Justice needs humanity, and humanity cannot be programmed.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-4587\" src=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-1024x536.webp\" alt=\"srm university delhi\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-1024x536.webp 1024w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-300x157.webp 300w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-768x402.webp 768w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-400x209.webp 400w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-800x419.webp 800w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi-1160x607.webp 1160w, https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/srm-university-delhi.webp 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dharma_and_the_Need_for_Ethical_AI_Laws\"><\/span><b>Dharma and the Need for Ethical AI Laws<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Vice-Chancellor of SRM University shared a thoughtful perspective rooted in dharma. He spoke about the need to create AI laws which protect the dignity, fairness and the constitution. He reminded everyone that technology grows quickly, but the ethics must grow with it.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His focus was on the following elements:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digital change must respect human values<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI laws should reflect both innovation and responsibility<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Society needs technologies that help and not harm<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dharma comes up with a moral foundation for future AI regulations.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His words reminded everyone that the legal future of India must stay grounded in principles that protect humanity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Global_Voices_Shared_Concerns\"><\/span><b>Global Voices, Shared Concerns<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The conference brought experts from the USA, UK, Ireland, Australia, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Argentina, and many other countries. Their thoughts were different, but their concerns were very much similar. They agreed that:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI is spreading fast in the legal system<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Courts can stay careful and alert while adopting it<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethics and accountability must guide every decision<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human judgment cannot be replaced anywhere in the world.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This global unity showed how important the topic has become.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"SRM_University_Delhi-NCR_Sonepats_Role_in_Shaping_the_Future\"><\/span><b>SRM University Delhi-NCR, Sonepat\u2019s Role in Shaping the Future<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SRM University played a powerful role by hosting the INCOLEM 2025. The university created a global platform where judges, scholars, and professionals can openly discuss the future of AI and law. This event showed the commitment of SRM University to prepare students and society for the fast-changing digital world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The faculty of law guaranteed that the discussions were rich and diverse. Professor VK Singh opened the event with a warm and thoughtful welcome. He focused on the need for collaboration between disciplines and countries. His vision shaped the conference and motivated open conversations among the participants.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Registrar Professor Dr. V. Samuel Raj closed the event with an important message. He said that academic discussions like these help society to understand the new challenges. He noted that AI can reduce court dependency when used responsibly. Moreover, the focus must always be on fairness. He thanked the participants from India and abroad for contributing to the meaningful conversations that help society move forward.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">By hosting such a major international event, SRM University has shown that it is not just an academic institution. It is a place where ideas shape policy, where students learn from global voices, and where the future of law and technology is taken seriously.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Human_Judgment_Still_Matters\"><\/span><b>Why Human Judgment Still Matters<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After two days of discussions, one truth stood strong: AI can assist, but it cannot judge. Courts deal with emotions, intentions, suffering, dignity and hope. These human experiences cannot be reduced to data. AI cannot do the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: justify;\">\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot understand the pain<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot judge the intention<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot feel empathy<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It cannot carry the moral responsibility<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"text-align: justify;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Human judgment is not replaceable, as justice is not a machine. It is considered to be a human promise.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The INCOLEM 2025 conference at SRM University<span class=\"excerpt-more\"><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4588,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[14],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-generic"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4588"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/srmuniversity.ac.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}