Tech article
‘A serious failure’: CPS prosecutor cites imaginary case to high court after AI search
Publisher description: Exclusive: Nonexistent precedent cited in alleged child rape case adds to dozens of AI-related errors plaguing court proceedings
The Guardian | Nov 3, 2026 | Robert Booth UK technology editor
Automated excerpt
A senior crown prosecutor acting in a high court case cited an imaginary legal precedent in an error that has sparked fresh concerns about AI hallucinations infecting the justice system. Her explanation for how the nonexistent case came to be relied on has been called “unsatisfactory” by two senior high court judges and a “serious failure” by an expert in AI and law. The Guardian understands the reference came from an AI response generated during an internet search.
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