Use of AI tools in the Colombian Judiciary

Findings from Three Surveys

Abstract

This paper aims to answer three main questions regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools in the Colombian judiciary. First, what type of AI tools do judges and judicial staff in Colombia access and use? Second, how and for what purposes are these AI tools used? Third, do demographic factors (e.g., age, gender) influence how judges and judicial staff approach AI tools? This paper is based on three comprehensive surveys conducted in 2024. Two surveys conducted by the authors targeted participants in the course ”Artificial Intelligence for the Administration of Justice: Fundamentals, Applications, and Best Practices”, offered by the Universidad de los Andes and the Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSdJ). A total of 1,391 judicial staff members responded at the start of the course, and 824 responded at its conclusion. A third survey, conducted later by the CSdJ, gathered responses from 3,152 judicial personnel. Our analysis reveals that training significantly improved AI familiarity among judicial personnel—initially, 63% reported minimal knowledge, but after the 50-hour course, 85% claimed moderate to high familiarity. While approximately one-third of respondents initially used AI for work tasks, this increased to nearly half post-training. Over 80% of users accessed free AI versions, raising concerns about confidentiality as these platforms may share information with third parties. Judicial officials primarily employ generative AI for information searches and document writing, particularly for jurisprudence (59%), legislation (52%), and definitions (51%). This reliance on AI for information retrieval presents risks if outputs aren’t verified against reliable sources. Although age and gender disparities in AI familiarity exist, reported usage patterns show minimal demographic differences. These findings emphasize the importance of enhancing digital literacy among judicial professionals and inform our recommendations for developing appropriate regulations and guidelines governing AI systems in the justice sector.