Jerome Dewald faced a stern rebuke from judges in New York after using an AI-generated avatar to represent him in court. On March 26, Dewald appeared before the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division's First Judicial Department for an employment dispute. During the proceedings, a video featuring a virtual attorney began to play, prompting Justice Sallie Manzanet-Daniels to question its authenticity. Dewald admitted, "I generated that. That's not a real person," which led to immediate disapproval from the judges.
Justice Manzanet-Daniels expressed her frustration, saying, "It would have been nice to know that when you made your application." Dewald had requested permission to play a prerecorded video during the hearing, hoping the AI-generated attorney would help him present his case more clearly due to his struggles with public speaking. However, the judges were not pleased with the lack of transparency.
Following the incident, Dewald submitted a letter of apology to the court, explaining that he did not have legal representation and did not intend to deceive anyone. The case highlights ongoing concerns about the use of AI in legal settings, with Dewald acknowledging, "The court was really upset about it. They chewed me up pretty good."