Artificial Intelligence featured prominently in Supreme Court vacancies interviews

The use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has featured prominently in the interviews of judges to fill vacancies in the Supreme Court.

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) will interview 5 judges for 3 posts on the Supreme Court of Appeal bench.

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44 candidates will appear before the JSC over the next two weeks to fill 22 vacancies in 11 courts, including the SCA, several divisions of the High Court, and specialist courts including labour, competition appeal and electoral courts.

All three candidates who appeared before JSC members have been asked to give their view on the use of AI.

While the first hopeful to take the hot seat, Judge Gerald Bloem, admitted to having a more conservative approach towards AI, KZN High Court Judge Mokgere Masipa told the commission about her work as part of the judiciary’s AI Committee.

"I presented the draft policy at the judges' conference this year. It is aimed at assisting us to be able to use technology and to benefit from it while we ensure judicial independence."

She said that the AI Committee is addressing issues that have been raised on the draft policy, mainly around governance and data security.

Masipa said that while the policy will soon be completed, questions must be asked about how it will be implemented in South Africa’s courts.

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