ChatGPT Wrote Fake Police Testimony In Murder Trial, Lawyer Fined $5,000
A New Mexico lawyer was fined $5,000 and held in contempt for submitting a court brief containing fabricated witness testimony generated by ChatGPT. The court emphasized the attorney's failure to verify the accuracy of the AI-generated content.
Why it matters
This case highlights the growing legal risks and ethical responsibilities professionals face when using generative AI in high-stakes environments like the judicial system.
A defence lawyer appealing his client's murder conviction submitted a brief containing made-up police testimony and witnesses fabricated by OpenAI's ChatGPT, New Mexico's highest court said.The New Mexico Supreme Court on Wednesday fined the attorney, Stephen Aarons, and held him in contempt for failing to verify the accuracy of the court filing, which Aarons said he prepared with help from the AI program.The filing "contained false testimony from wholly fabricated witnesses," the court said.The panel also said Aarons had "demonstrated a lack of remorse and a lack of concern for his client."
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