As part of an effort to increase the availability of language services in Ohio courtrooms, the Ohio Supreme Court has proposed rules on how courts could use generative artificial intelligence (AI) for interpreting.
The new rule, proposed by the court’s Commission on the Rules of Superintendence and the Advisory Committee on Language Services, would only allow AI to assist with basic interpreting in the courts, but AI would be banned from being used to interpret proceedings and court functions where a person’s rights are at stake.
If approved, AI could also be used to translate general information, as long as it’s disclosed, but not legal forms or substantive legal writing. “Non-substantive, non-legal writings include materials relating to general court information such as websites, webpages, chatbots, court signage, court hours, department or office locations, and other writings that are not legal in nature and do not implicate a litigant’s constitutional or civil rights,” the proposal states.
Commentary within the proposed rule change states that the use of AI could harm people who need language services. “The use of artificial intelligence oral interpreting is subject to error, misrepresentation, breach of privacy, and may cause harm to the individual who receives the information in the foreign language,” the commentary states. “By using artificial intelligence oral interpreting, the output may jeopardize the litigant’s constitutional or civil rights.”
WOSU (5/15/25) By Renee Fox