A rape trial at Lewes Crown Court in the UK was dismissed after the complainant revealed she had used an AI chatbot to prepare her testimony, prompting concerns about the integrity of evidence presented in court. The alleged victim, identified as C, had accused the defendant, R, of sexual assault while she was under the influence of alcohol and drugs, rendering her unable to consent. The pair had recently ended a relationship before the alleged incident.
During the proceedings, C admitted to using an AI chatbot to help prepare her narrative of the events, understand issues of consent and capacity, and formulate responses regarding physical evidence and her subsequent behavior. The defense argued that it would be impossible to determine the extent to which AI had influenced her testimony, thereby jeopardizing a fair trial.
The Court of Appeal subsequently ruled that utilizing AI in this manner constitutes witness coaching, which is strictly prohibited. In its decision, the court stated that all witnesses, regardless of their role in a trial, should be strongly discouraged from using AI to prepare their evidence. The court observed that an honest witness might alter their testimony based on perceived memory improvements or different interpretations, while a dishonest witness could more readily manipulate their account. The Court of Appeal has called for a retrial at the earliest opportunity.