'Police and the judiciary should themselves take responsibility on the subject of AI'

The use of artificial intelligence in the legal sector is growing enormously; from smart crime report intake to algorithms that help analyse contracts. But how reliable and transparent are these systems? And what does this mean for the role of judges, lawyers, civil servants and the police? These are the questions addressed by Floris Bex, who has been appointed Professor of Innovation in AI & Law at Utrecht University on March 1.

With his chair, Bex wants to strengthen the scientific basis of AI in the legal field by looking at the development, use, and impact of this technology. His specialisation is argumentation theory: how do professionals such as judges and investigators reason, and how can AI support such reasoning? “Legal AI systems must reason and act transparently and in accordance with the law,” Bex says. “We observe that popular AI - language models and chatbots like (Chat)GPT – are not very good at logical reasoning, or applying specific laws. By using insights from argumentation theory on what correct legal reasoning is, we can ensure that AI behaves logically and according to the law.” 

National Policelab AI

As founder and scientific director of the National Police Lab AI, one of Utrecht University's AI Labs, Bex works closely with the police on AI applications for law enforcement. This gives him a strong connection to the field, which aligns well with the chair's focus on practical, innovative applications. “Organisations that are central to the rule of law, such as the police and the judiciary, should themselves take responsibility on the subject of AI. Together with universities, they can thus contribute to the development and regulation of AI based on European values and fundamental rights.” 

Legal AI systems must reason and act transparently and in accordance with the law

Bex will divide his time between the Department of Information & Computing Sciences and the School of Law. “It is impossible to research AI for law without understanding what the law says about AI, and vice versa.” Bex will be involved in teaching at both departments. “We want to make computer science students aware of the ethical and legal aspects of AI and to teach law students the (im)possibilities of this technology.” He also sees opportunities for collaboration in research. “Inter- and multidisciplinary research demands that different disciplines learn to speak each other's language. I want to act as a translator for colleagues in the different departments. With this collaboration between disciplines Utrecht University will become the foremost interdisciplinary research center for AI and Law.”

Bex has stepped down from his position as Professor of Data Science and the Judiciary at Tilburg University, which he held since 2018.