China launches AI legal assistance, first judicial trial large language model

As artificial intelligence (AI) revolutionizes sectors worldwide, China is integrating AI into the legal field by launching an AI legal assistance service alongside its large language model (LLM) for judicial trials in Shenzhen City, southern China.

Developed in collaboration with the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, the AI legal assistant provides timely and cost-effective legal advice to workers facing labor disputes, effectively addressing previous challenges associated with high costs and lengthy consultations.

"Through such an assistant, users can independently engage in profound legal question and answer via their mobile phones, receiving expert answers. This approach significantly boosts the efficiency of legal assistance," said Xie Guangjun, involved in the AI assistant development, on the sidelines of the just-concluded 2024 World AI Conference in east China's financial hub of Shanghai.

Meanwhile, the newly launched LLM for judicial trials, which demonstrates its capability to assist throughout the legal process from case filing to settlement, is aiding judges in swiftly understanding complex case details.

"Especially with the integration of large language models and analyses grounded in common sense, it delivers meaningful and insightful analyses to judges. This facilitates judges to thoroughly and truthfully considering litigants' perspectives, enabling swift identification of the focus of disputes and rulings based on authoritative legal norms and precedents provided by the model. This substantially streamlines the complexity and time in handling cases, ensuring the integrity of our judicial rulings," said Chen Yunfeng, civil judge at the Shenzhen Intermediate Court.

The AI trial system systematically extracts and analyzes 212 critical data points from each case, significantly enhancing the precision of dispute prevention and resolution measures.

"Since the outset, we have advocated for judges' direct involvement in the research and development process. This empowers judges, as judicial officers, to grasp the challenges and nuances in our judicial work more clearly. The model and computational capabilities are adept at addressing these issues effectively," said Fu Luqi, financial court judge at the Shenzhen Intermediate Court.

During its trial phase, the AI trial system facilitated the filing of 291,000 cases and generated 11,600 initial document drafts. The official launch extends its application to more common civil and commercial cases, promising streamlined legal procedures and judicial fairness.

China launches AI legal assistance, first judicial trial large language model

Over 100 migrants deported by the United States to Panama, stranded in a foreign country with no money, no knowledge of Spanish and no future, complained they were misled, detained in harsh conditions, and forcibly removed without proper explanation, raising human rights violation concerns.

The United States has deported 299 migrants from multiple countries to Panama since February, designating the Central American nation as a temporary transit hub under a bilateral agreement between the two countries. At least 107 migrants remain stranded in Panama after refusing repatriation to their home countries, according to Panamanian authorities. Now 192 of the 299 deportees have returned to their home countries. The 107 migrants, transferred to a government-run shelter on the outskirts of Panama City, complained they were detained in U.S. facilities under harsh conditions and deported without clear communication about their destinations. "We weren't allowed to rest while in custody. Every time when we were about to fall asleep, someone would bang on the door, which made us very uneasy. We thought we were to be sent to Texas, but after a six-hour flight we found out we were in Panama," said a deportee from Afghanistan.

An Eritrean migrant, interviewed in English, described similar confusion.

"We weren't told (that we are being deported). We just [went] to the airport by bus, (and waited) for one hour after one hour at the airport. I think (in total there were) maybe 60 people. I was not told (we were going to) Panama, just to move (to another place of custody) maybe," he said.

"Many of the deported migrants expressed that the deportations were carried out against their personal will and violated their human rights. As far as we can see, there are indeed violations of human rights in evictions," said Raphael Rodriguez, President of the Association of Naturalized Residents of Panama.

Panama has issued 30-day humanitarian visas to the deported migrants, extendable to 90 days. However, they must cover their own expenses and find a way to leave the country.

"I have children in Africa. In Panama, we don't have good work. I have nothing, so I don't know what I can do," said the deported Eritrean immigrant.

Deportees accuse US of human right violations