Man hides AI prompts in court filings to sway judge, gets banned from e-filing
Suspecting court of using AI, man injected prompts in filings to try to win case
A Connecticut judge has identified what appears to be the first US case of prompt injection in court filings. Plaintiff Matthew Elliott, a pro se litigant, hid text in white, tiny-point type that instructed AI systems to rule in his favor. The judge ruled the tactic a 'serious litigation abuse' and banned Elliott from e-filing, while noting that such attacks may become more common as courts adopt AI.
An argument prompted only to agree with its author is, in the end, dishonest even with its author.
- RobotToaster
> Unlike “a number of court systems elsewhere,” the Connecticut Judicial Branch does not use AI to review or decide filings, Spader said.
>in Elliott’s case, prompts were “exposed, in each of those settings, the moment a human being actually looked at what the machine produced,” Spader said.
Well that's a contradiction.
- tentacleuno
What are the opinions of those here on using AI for court rulings?
To me, it seems truly frightening that a Silicon Valley company could be placed in such a direct position of trust and influence over the legal system. There are examples of AI acting in its own self-interest over the wants of its masters, so I do wonder how it would handle cases against its respective company, or things which would directly impact it. Outside of that, I still worry about its impartiality and its overall correctness.
It makes me feel very uneasy.
- pcrh
I wonder how the court became aware of this attempt?
It might be as simple as a clerk doing "select all" and noticing the extra selection?
Or what else?
- ChrisArchitect
- ruckcbek
I put this stuff in my resume.