Arizona Supreme Court Taps AI Avatars to Boost Public Access to Justice
PHOENIX (AP) — In a move designed to improve public understanding of its rulings, the Arizona Supreme Court has introduced AI-generated avatars. This initiative, which sees the court using artificial intelligence to create more human-like characters to connect with the public, is believed to be the first of its kind in the United States.
The court’s new virtual representatives, named Victoria and Daniel, will deliver news of the justices’ rulings and significant opinions. This marks a shift from traditional communication methods, with the avatars tasked to provide information more quickly than a human spokesperson.
The court’s move comes as the use of AI continues to grow exponentially across various fields. For the Arizona Supreme Court, the purpose behind this endeavor is to strengthen trust and confidence in the judicial system.
Chief Justice Ann Timmer, who took over the court last summer, made public trust a central element of her platform. With that in mind, she had been exploring avenues to use digital media for public outreach. “We serve the public better by saying, OK, we’ve issued this decision,” she explained. “Now, let us help you understand what it is.”
Timmer also said the court would have communicated differently about the abortion ruling. She noted a news release and avatar video could have helped provide the public with a simplified explanation of the legal underpinnings of the decision. “We got a lot of backlash for it and probably deservedly so, in terms of how can we complain that people don’t understand what we did when we didn’t really do enough to give a simplified version,” she said.
How the Avatars Work
Daniel and Victoria, created using a program named Creatify, effectively bring the court’s news releases to life. The court posts videos featuring the avatars after each high court ruling. They might also be used for Access to Justice projects, community programs, and civics information in the future.
According to court spokesperson Alberto Rodriguez, the avatar videos are a more efficient means of disseminating information. He pointed out that a video that may take hours to produce can be ready in approximately 30 minutes using AI technology.
In the future, Rodriguez noted, the court may introduce more AI-generated reporters. He emphasized that Daniel and Victoria’s names and appearances are designed to represent a wide demographic of people. The court also stresses the AI origins of these avatars by using disclaimers and is exploring different emotional deliveries and pronunciations, as well as Spanish translations, for the avatars.
Reception and Future Prospects
Mason Kortz, a clinical instructor at Harvard Law School’s Cyberlaw Clinic, considers these new cyber employees “quite realistic”. However, he suggested that the language of the disclaimer, which is in the videos’ text descriptions, should be more prominent.
Asheley Landrum, an associate professor at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, said the avatars have a robotic feel. The professor added that the format could be more engaging if it mimicked real dialogue and storytelling.
By SEJAL GOVINDARAO
Govindarao covers Arizona government and politics for The Associated Press, with a focus on women in state government. She is based in Phoenix.
