Man attempts to use AI to testify in court – but the judges were having none of it

Judges were forced to halt the use of an AI-generated video after a plaintiff attempted to present it as his representative.

On 26 March, during a hearing at the New York State Supreme Court involving Jerom Dewald in an employment dispute, it wasn’t Dewald who spoke. Instead, a digital creation took his place.

"The appellant has submitted a video for his argument," Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels shared at the time. "Ok. We will hear that video now."

It was then, a youthful man appeared smiling on screen, sporting a shirt and sweater.

"May it please the court," the video started, "I come here today a humble pro se before a panel of five distinguished justices."

The judge soon interrupted the clip, responding: "Ok, hold on. Is that counsel for the case?"

Plaintiff confessed to generating the clip, clarifying: "That's not a real person."

Inevitably, the judge was not pleased.

"It would have been nice to know that when you made your application. You did not tell me that, sir," Manzanet-Daniels hit back, before reportedly yelling to turn it off.

"I don’t appreciate being misled," she said.

Dewald later submitted an apology, assuring them that he had no intention of causing any harm.

Without legal representation, he was forced to present his case himself. He thought the avatar could deliver his arguments more effectively, avoiding his typical issues with stumbling over words and losing his train of thought.

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