Scotland’s top judge, Lord Pentland, has warned that AI-generated legal research can invent laws and court cases, which people may then cite as fact in court. He said AI may help people access justice and support legal work, but it should assist rather than replace human judgement; relying on it uncritically can waste court time and bring users close to contempt of court.

Pentland made the comments in Edinburgh at the opening of Scotland’s legal year, amid pressure on courts from a rise in serious criminal cases. He said fabricated authorities and legislation had already been cited in Scottish courts and urged lawyers and other court users to check AI output carefully. The article also cites English cases in which filings included non-existent authorities, and a Scottish defence lawyer’s example of AI research citing a Canadian case from Saskatchewan.