An uproar in Colombia after a judge used a chat program to issue a ruling. This is how he justified his action

A Colombian judge has caused an uproar by announcing that he used artificial intelligence-based chatbot ChatGPT to rule on a case involving an autistic child, identical sources said Thursday.

Judge Juan Manuel Padilla said in statements to a local radio, "This opens up tremendous prospects. Today it may be related to the GBT Chat software, but within 3 months, any other alternative can be relied upon to facilitate the drafting of legal texts that the judge can rely on."

He stressed that "the goal is not to replace the judges."

In a ruling issued on January 30, the judge decided on a mother’s request to exempt her autistic son from paying the costs of medical appointments, treatment and transportation to hospitals, as the family lacks the financial resources to cover these expenses.

Padilla ruled in favor of the child, noting in his ruling that he had consulted chatbot GBT to make his decision.

Judge Chat GPT asked, according to his decision minutes, "Is an autistic minor exempt from paying treatment fees?"

The robot replied, "Yes, that's right. According to the current law in Colombia, minors diagnosed with autism are exempt from paying treatment fees."

"Judges are not fools," Padilla commented. "It is not because we ask questions on the app that we stop being judges and thinking beings."

He noted that ChatGBT is now doing what the secretary previously did in a "organized and simple way", which "can improve response times in the judicial field".

These statements sparked widespread controversy.

"As with other AI systems in all fields, under the pretext of supposed efficiency, fundamental rights are at risk," explained Juan David Guterres, a professor at the University of Rosario, especially since he received different answers from ChatGBT after asking the same questions.

The artificial intelligence of GBT Chat has been causing a sensation in the world since last November.

This chatbot was created by the American company, OpenAI, on the basis of huge algorithms and databases.

The robot produces texts based on a simple request, which can be used especially by lawyers, engineers or journalists, with the risk of manipulation or misleading.

"I suspect that many of my colleagues will begin to formulate their judgments ethically with the help of AI," Padilla said.