Chandigarh, March 30 — Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Meghwal stressed the need for a digital detox in the AI and technology-driven era during the fourth memorial lecture for former Chief Justice of India Madan Mohan Punchhi at Panjab University (PU) on Saturday. Organised by the Competent Foundation, the lecture focused on tackling AI challenges through the existing legal framework.
Meghwal traced the evolution from Industry 1.0 to Industry 4.0, highlighting cloud computing, robotics, IoT and 3D printing. He warned against the diminishing value of personal relationships due to excessive gadget use and drew parallels between AI integration and historical values of liberty, equality and fraternity, citing examples from the French Revolution, BR Ambedkar and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Justice Arun Palli, the guest of honour, underscored the importance of adapting the legal system to keep pace with AI advancements while ensuring fairness, transparency and accountability.
Director of University Institute of Legal Studies (UILS), Shruti Bedi, noted that AI could help address India’s backlog of over 4.5 crore pending legal cases. However, she cautioned that relying on AI in the judiciary could also lead to the spread of inaccurate information.
