Fugees Rapper Blames Conviction On Lawyer's Use Of AI In Closing Argument

Lawyer cites experimental AI in defense, draws criticism from client now appealing guilty verdict.

Prakazrel 'Pras' Michel, a member of the hip-hop group Fugees, is pushing for a new trial after being found guilty of political conspiracy. He argues his previous lawyer, David Kenner, used an experimental AI program, EyeLevel.AI, to craft his closing argument, which he claims was detrimental to his case.
Pras' new legal counsel alleges that Kenner, while being well known for previous high-profile representations, failed to comprehend the intricacies of his case and outsourced trial prep to inexperienced contract attorneys.
EyeLevel.AI, the AI program in question, has been designated as 'experimental' in the appeal. However, this program differs from others as it only functions on the narrow sets of information humans feed it, in this case, relevant court documents and trial transcripts. EyeLevel.AI claims the human lawyer still ultimately uses their discretion, meaning Kenner would have been the final arbiter of what to say in court.
Alongside the misuse of AI, the appeal also alleges that Kenner had financial ties to EyeLevel.AI and promoted their use of the tool after the trial. This alleged conflict of interest is yet another pillar of Pras' argument for a second trial.
The Pras case shines a light on the increasing adoption of AI in the field of law, with over 50% of lawyers expected to use similar technology within the next year. However, the judgment on this case could shape future use and regulation of AI in legal proceedings.