China’s highest court has warned against the unchecked use of artificial intelligence in courtrooms, saying algorithms must remain strictly subordinate to human judges to safeguard judicial fairness.
China’s top judge has drawn a firm line against the excessive use of artificial intelligence in the courtroom, cautioning that reliance on algorithms could undermine the integrity of the judicial process.
Presenting the Supreme People’s Court’s annual work report to the fourth session of the 14th National People’s Congress on March 9, court president Zhang Jun said the development of AI-assisted trial systems must proceed “steadily and prudently.” He stressed that such technology should remain purely assistive, adding that judges alone must bear judicial responsibility.
In its report to the ongoing legislative session, the Supreme People's Court said it is drafting judicial policies to clarify the legal status of AI-generated content and the rules for verifying its originality. The move comes amid growing disputes over whether AI-produced material qualifies as an original intellectual creation eligible for copyright protection and whether using third-party works to train large AI models constitutes infringement.
“Whether it is reasonable to use others’ works in AI data training, and how AI service providers should bear liability, remain highly controversial in legal circles and have significant implications for the development of the AI industry,” said Li Jian, chief judge of the court’s Third Civil Division.
Li added that intellectual property rights serve both as a safeguard for innovators and a regulatory mechanism for public welfare. “It is essential to balance the interests of multiple stakeholders, including innovators, competitors, consumers and the public,” he said.
The top court said it is working on guidance aimed at balancing technological development with legal oversight in the rapidly evolving AI sector. According to Li, the court is adhering to a principle that places equal emphasis on development and security while promoting innovation under a law-based governance framework.
The report also highlighted the growing number of legal disputes involving data rights. Chinese courts handled 908 cases related to data ownership and transactions in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 25.6%.
The court said the basic framework for protecting data property rights has largely taken shape but called for stronger coordination across legislation, regulation, judicial practice and dispute resolution.
It stressed that the rights of data providers must be fully protected under laws such as the Data Security Law and the Personal Information Protection Law, particularly with regard to privacy, personal information and other sensitive data.
At the same time, authorities should strengthen oversight of data trading activities — including pricing, transaction methods and market rules — to ensure fair competition in the emerging data economy.
Sources: Caixin Global, Orient, SCMP
