Building resilient judiciary systems in the AI era - UNESCO

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Building resilient judiciary systems in the AI era

Throughout history, societies have relied on judicial adjudication to settle disputes and uphold order, making justice one of the most enduring pillars of human civilization. Today, courts around the world are transitioning, at varying speeds and intensities, into the AI era. The technology holds out seemingly irresistible promises: reducing case backlogs, improving access to justice and speeding up the delivery of decisions. But with the novelty of AI comes uncertainty about its long-term impact on court systems, human dignity and rights, and the functioning of societies.

Is AI just hype, or is it here to stay? Will it reshape justice delivery as we know it? As with any digital technology, adoption tends to be slow in the early years, held back by the investment and infrastructure that deployment demands. The risks vary from data loss and cybersecurity threats to climate-related disruptions that could affect governments’ ability to maintain critical digital functions. Courts need to anticipate and plan for these risks carefully.

To explore how the courts should meet these challenges, UNESCO convened a panel of experts on 16 July as part of the 2026 Global Conference of the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development.

The panel brought together, in alphabetical order:

- Ana María Montoya, Director of Data Analytics, World Justice Project (WJP)

- Alina Secrieriu, Head of the Strategic Coordination, Digitalisation and Outreach Unit, European Judicial Training Network (EJTN)

- Ana-Maria Telbis, Head of the Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) Programme, Council of Europe

- Zoltán Turbék, AI Consultant, Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) Human Rights Hub

The discussion was moderated by Dr. Kamel El Hilali, AI & Rule of Law Specialist at UNESCO.

The conversation revolved around two closely related questions: how should the judiciary build an AI strategy, and what does resilience mean for courts navigating AI? As the discussion unfolded, it became clear that resilience must be built into any judicial AI strategy from the outset.

Panelists identified three layers of resilience in the judicial context.

Individual resilience

Judges and legal professionals must be able to embrace change and adapt to new contexts while preserving their core values and skills. In the context of AI, this means maintaining critical thinking and the ability to decide rather than delegate to a machine. It also means seizing every opportunity for continuous training to better understand the digital environment courts now operate in. Judges and legal professionals need to learn how to prompt, verify, test, question and report. For institutions, this calls for a long-term vision to help students, as well as young and experienced professionals, develop and preserve a critical eye toward technology. Vigilance vis-à-vis AI becomes a judicial skill. A recent EJTN survey found that, while 93% of training institutions offer AI training modules, most remain introductory.

Institutional resilience

Courts and judicial authorities must be equipped to make sound decisions on AI governance, use and control to safeguard the continuity of the justice system. They must also shield judges and court staff from the pervasive effects AI can have on skills, judicial independence and the credibility of courts. Judicial independence is not merely an individual duty. It extends to courts’ digital infrastructure, which must ensure that AI systems do not compromise judges’ ability to assess AI-produced or manipulated evidence or to resist disinformation campaigns. Courts can face pressure from governments and private vendors to adopt AI, as well as indirect pressure from law firms and self-represented litigants, who are already using the technology to prepare their cases. Therefore, courts must strike a balance that protects the separation of powers, avoids conflicts of interest with vendors, and responds to a growing volume of AI-generated case material.

Upholding the core values of the judiciary, access to justice, the rule of law and the protection of human rights will take dedication, planning and cooperation among peers and institutions. The principles set out in UNESCO’s Guidelines for the Use of AI in Courts and Tribunals offer courts a valuable compass as they navigate this new territory.

Technological resilience

While cybersecurity awareness is growing, more work is needed to protect the confidentiality and technical robustness of judicial systems. Panelists noted a growing convergence between cybersecurity, data protection and sovereignty in the context of AI. Technical safeguards against unauthorized access (a zero-trust approach), data loss and system compromise contribute not only to data protection, but also to courts’ ability to control their own data. Technological resilience is also increasingly intertwined with climate resilience. The water and electricity demands of AI are already a source of concern in countries that lack the infrastructure to absorb this consumption. In extreme scenarios, digital and AI systems could be disrupted by fire, earthquakes or floods, interrupting the functioning of courts, risks that must be anticipated well before systems are deployed.

As the panel drew to a close, one message stood out above the rest: however much attention AI attracts, it must never distract courts from their core mission, delivering justice for the people.