EyeLevel.AI has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that the AI was used as a tool to assist human lawyers, not to generate the final arguments presented in court. The company's COO, Neil Katz, also denied that the lawyers had a financial stake in his company. This case raises novel questions about the use of AI in legal proceedings and whether it could lead to claims of ineffective assistance of counsel.
Key takeaways:
- Pras Michél, a member of the Fugees, is demanding a new trial following his recent conviction on conspiracy charges, claiming that his defense attorney used artificial intelligence in court, which he believes led to his conviction.
- Michél's new lawyers argue that his former attorney, David Kenner, used an "experimental" AI program for his closing argument, which they claim neglected important arguments and effectively admitted that Michél committed a crime.
- The AI program in question is EyeLevel.AI's "Lit Assist" tech, which the company claims can provide critical insights faster than human efforts for tasks ranging from drafting papers to appeals work. However, Michél's lawyers argue that Kenner's use of the tech led to a deficient closing argument that prejudiced the defense.
- This case raises questions about the use of AI in the courtroom and whether it can lead to claims of ineffective assistance of counsel. Legal experts suggest that this is a novel area and it's unclear how a judge would interpret such claims.