Video: AI Lawyer Responds to Chief Justice DY Chandrachud's Death Penalty Question

New Delhi: At the inauguration of the National Judicial Museum and Archive, Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud questioned an Artificial Intelligence (AI) lawyer. The Chief Justice, known for his sharp attention to courtroom decorum, took the opportunity to test the AI's legal knowledge, asking, "Is the death penalty constitutional in India?" 

Video: Here’s how AI responded to CJI’s question 

The AI lawyer, presented in the form of a spectacled man dressed in an advocate's bow tie and coat, responded confidently: "Yes, the death penalty is constitutional in India. It is reserved for the rarest of rare cases as determined by the Supreme Court, where the crime is exceptionally heinous and warrants such a punishment." 

The response, in line with the Supreme Court's established stance on the death penalty, seemed to impress the Chief Justice, who nodded in acknowledgment. Justice Sanjiv Khanna, who will assume office as the next Chief Justice of India on Monday, was also present at the event, along with other Supreme Court judges.

Recently speaking in an interview with the All India Radio, Chandrachud said the legal profession is a difficult one where the foundation laid in the initial years keeps the young lawyers in good stead throughout their careers.

"There are always ups and downs in a profession. Initially, the amount you make at the end of your first month in the legal profession may not be very high," the CJI said.

So it is important to encourage the first timers to hang in, put in the hard work, and be sincere in what they do, Chandrachud said.

"Equally, our structures must change as well. For instance, lawyers must learn how to pay proper wages, salaries and emoluments to the young lawyers who enter their chambers," he said.

"Youngsters come to their chambers to learn. They also have a great deal to share, so it is a two-way process of absorption and sharing and mentorship which we have to provide to the younger lawyers," the CJI added.

Reflecting on his personal connection with the All India Radio, CJI Chandrachud fondly recalled his own days as an AIR presenter during college. 

His mother, a classical musician, often brought him to the AIR studios in Mumbai during his early years, building an interest that later led him to audition for Akashvani in Delhi. 

There, he hosted programs in Hindi and English after moving to the city in 1975.

He also shared memories of listening to AIR bulletins in multiple languages with his family, captivated by the voices of radio legends like Devki Nandan Pandey, Pamela Singh, and Lotika Ratnam.