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Misa call for AI legal sector policy framework
2 hrs ago |
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HARARE - MISA Zimbabwe has called on the Law Society of Zimbabwe and other relevant stakeholders to urgently develop a policy framework governing the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the legal sector. The call follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling that invalidated legal submissions containing fictitious case citations generated by AI.
The ruling stemmed from the case Pulserate Investments (Pvt) Ltd v Andrew Zuze and Others [SC202/25], in which the appellant's heads of argument - filed by Professor Welshman Ncube - were found to include 12 non-existent cases produced by AI. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Susan Mavangira, Felistus Chatukuta, and Hlekani Mwayera, dismissed the appeal and ordered Pulserate Investments to bear the costs.
The submissions were challenged by Advocate Thabani Mpofu, representing Andrew Zuze. It later emerged that the flawed research had been prepared by a graduate assistant who relied on AI tools without proper verification. In a letter to the court, Professor Ncube apologised for the oversight.
Legal experts say the judgment serves as a cautionary tale for the profession, highlighting the risks of unverified AI-generated content and the need for rigorous fact-checking, human oversight, and ethical accountability in legal practice.
MISA Zimbabwe acknowledged the potential of AI to enhance legal research, improve consistency in judgments, and expand access to justice. However, it warned that unchecked use could undermine the integrity of the legal system.
"AI must support, not replace, human judgment and ethical reasoning in legal research," MISA said. The organisation urged the development of a framework grounded in accountability, transparency, fairness, and mandatory human oversight, aligned with constitutional values and the rule of law.
MISA added that such a framework would also serve as a litmus test for the recently adopted Zimbabwe National AI Strategy 2026–2030, which aims to guide the country's approach to AI development and deployment across all sectors of society.
The ruling stemmed from the case Pulserate Investments (Pvt) Ltd v Andrew Zuze and Others [SC202/25], in which the appellant's heads of argument - filed by Professor Welshman Ncube - were found to include 12 non-existent cases produced by AI. The Supreme Court bench, comprising Justices Susan Mavangira, Felistus Chatukuta, and Hlekani Mwayera, dismissed the appeal and ordered Pulserate Investments to bear the costs.
The submissions were challenged by Advocate Thabani Mpofu, representing Andrew Zuze. It later emerged that the flawed research had been prepared by a graduate assistant who relied on AI tools without proper verification. In a letter to the court, Professor Ncube apologised for the oversight.
Legal experts say the judgment serves as a cautionary tale for the profession, highlighting the risks of unverified AI-generated content and the need for rigorous fact-checking, human oversight, and ethical accountability in legal practice.
"AI must support, not replace, human judgment and ethical reasoning in legal research," MISA said. The organisation urged the development of a framework grounded in accountability, transparency, fairness, and mandatory human oversight, aligned with constitutional values and the rule of law.
MISA added that such a framework would also serve as a litmus test for the recently adopted Zimbabwe National AI Strategy 2026–2030, which aims to guide the country's approach to AI development and deployment across all sectors of society.
Source - Byo24News
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