Addams vs Ulrich, candidates for county judge, two lawyers representing opposite poles in the AI mess.
For many jobs the distinction between new and old digital tools isn’t a central part of the job itself. A commercial artist isn’t enforcing laws, she’s making pictures for magazines or websites. When she uses AI she indirectly steals the work of other artists, and directly deprives herself of practice. BUT: she doesn’t have a choice if she wants to pay the rent. She can’t afford to be fussy.
Bad lawyers and bad judges have FORCED her into this untenable choice between integrity and starvation by refusing to enforce straightforward existing laws.
For lawyers and judges the professional difference is RIGHT HERE in the middle of your mission and job. A judge who hires a Mafia thief for a clerk is poisoning his own decisions and ruining his own ability to split right vs wrong.
Ulrich vs Addams gives us a clean experiment. Two men about the same age with similarly strong credentials and experience. Ulrich is working for the law, Addams is working for the Mafia.
= = = = = START ULRICH:
“For judges who are making decisions on the merits affecting people’s lives and liberty, AI has no place,” he said. “I want the public to know if I cite a case on my opinion, that’s because I’ve read that case.”
As the technology improves, Ulrich is “doubtful” AI will ever be responsible to use AI as a judge. He is most concerned with lawyers and judges using AI, not properly fact-checking, and allowing “hallucinated case law” to affect their decisions.
= = = = = END ULRICH.
= = = = = START ADDAMS:
Addams likened Ulrich’s position to judges who refused to adopt computers in the courtroom. As the internet became essential for communication, those judges struggled to rule on cases involving the technology. Addams is not concerned by hallucinated case law. If a judge fact-checks every AI output, those mistakes will never enter their finished product.
= = = = = END ADDAMS.
Obvious problem: When you join the Mafia you aren’t going to check the Mafia with non-Mafia sources. You use the gang to check the gang.
The rest of the picture is far less clear. Anti-AI Ulrich talks about “empathy” and has endorsements from local Dems. Pro-AI Addams talks about “firm but fair” and has endorsements from local Repooflicans.
