UNESCO issues global guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in courts
UNESCO has published new global guidelines to support judges and court systems in using artificial intelligence responsibly. The framework aims to ensure that AI improves efficiency and access to justice without undermining human judgment, fairness, or fundamental rights.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has released new Guidelines for the Use of Artificial Intelligence Systems in Courts and Tribunals, responding to the rapid and uneven adoption of AI across justice systems worldwide. The guidelines are intended to provide practical guidance to judicial institutions and individual judges as AI tools become increasingly integrated into court processes.
Courts in many countries are under severe strain, with long case backlogs and limited judicial capacity. In this context, AI tools such as automated transcription, case management systems, and large language models are already being introduced to support administrative tasks and legal analysis. While these technologies have shown potential to increase efficiency, they have also raised concerns about reliability, accountability, and the risk of undermining public trust in the justice system.
UNESCO’s guidelines seek to address these challenges by setting out a framework that places human judgement at the centre of judicial decision-making. They articulate a set of principles designed to ensure that AI systems used in courts respect human rights, uphold due process, and remain subject to meaningful human oversight. The guidance covers issues such as transparency, auditability, information security, and the clear allocation of responsibility when AI tools are used.
The document also provides recommendations for judicial organisations and members of the judiciary across the full lifecycle of AI systems, from procurement and design to deployment and ongoing evaluation. Rather than promoting a single model, the guidelines are intended to serve as a reference point for the development of national and local rules that reflect specific legal, cultural, and institutional contexts.
The release follows findings from a recent UNESCO survey indicating that, while many judicial actors are already using AI tools, only a small proportion have received formal training on their implications. At the same time, a strong majority of respondents expressed the need for mandatory rules and guidance governing AI use in the judiciary. These gaps in capacity and governance were a key driver behind the development of the guidelines.
The guidelines have been developed through extensive international consultation, involving judges, legal scholars, judicial training institutions, and technology experts. They build on UNESCO’s long-standing work through its Judges’ Initiative, which has supported judicial capacity-building on digital technologies and human rights for more than a decade.
