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A 74-year-old man representing himself in an employment dispute left judges stunned after presenting his legal arguments through an AI-generated avatar — without informing the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division.
Jerome Dewald, who chose to fight his case without an attorney, shocked the panel of judges when he played a pre-recorded video featuring a digitally created, younger-looking man in a blue collared shirt and beige sweater, arguing on his behalf.
As the video began, the virtual figure addressed the court: “It may please the court, I come here today…” sounding composed and convincingly human. Confused by the unexpected presence of another figure, Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels paused the hearing and asked Dewald whether the man in the video was his legal counsel. Dewald calmly responded, “I generated that. That is not a real person.”
A judge in New York was pissed off after a plaintiff tried using an AI lawyer, complete with an avatar. 🤣🤣 pic.twitter.com/nBJOaFEaA0
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The revelation frustrated Justice Manzanet-Daniels, who immediately ordered the video to be turned off. “It would have been nice to know that when you made your application,” she said sharply. “I don’t appreciate being misled.”
Dewald later issued a letter of apology to the court, explaining that his intention was never to deceive. He wrote that his decision to use an AI avatar stemmed from his personal difficulty with public speaking, admitting that he sometimes mumbles or mixes up words. “My intent was never to deceive but rather to present my arguments in the most efficient manner possible,” he stated, adding, “However, I recognize that proper disclosure and transparency must always take precedence.”
The incident, which quickly went viral on social media, sparked a wave of reactions, with many debating the ethical and legal implications of using AI-generated avatars in courtrooms. A popular post on X read: “A judge in New York was pi**ed off after a plaintiff tried using an AI lawyer, complete with an avatar.”
This isn’t the first time AI has stirred controversy in legal proceedings. In June 2023, two lawyers were fined $5,000 each after using ChatGPT for legal research, only to discover that the AI had cited fake, non-existent legal cases.
