AI, SOCIETY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN INDIA: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES AND THE ROAD AHEAD
AI, SOCIETY AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE LEGAL SYSTEM IN INDIA: OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES AND THE ROAD AHEAD Shrutika Juwale, Second Year LLM- IPR, KES SHRI. Jayantilal Patel College of Law, Mumbai (India) Download Manuscript doi.org/10.70183/lijdlr.2026.v4sil.42 This research paper examines the influence of Artificial Intelligence on society and the legal system in India. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a widely used technology in both professional and personal life, making several activities more convenient, efficient, and accessible. Whether individuals are fully aware of it or not, AI increasingly influences decision-making processes and the manner in which people live, work, and interact with institutions. Although the legal services sector has traditionally been cautious in adopting new technologies, AI is now having a substantial impact on law firms, legal research, contract drafting, case management, and judicial administration. AI can reduce the administrative burden on legal professionals by enabling faster legal research, document review, contract analysis, and access to large legal databases. At the same time, its adoption raises serious concerns relating to employment displacement, algorithmic bias, privacy, accountability, and the possible weakening of human judgment in legal processes. In India, AI-enabled initiatives and digital justice reforms, including tools used for legal research, translation, and case management, indicate the gradual transformation of the legal system. However, AI should be treated as an assistive mechanism rather than a substitute for judges, lawyers, and human legal reasoning. This paper examines the dual nature of AI adoption by analysing its efficiency gains against its ethical, social, and regulatory risks. It further argues that India must develop a balanced framework for responsible AI use in the legal sector, supported by transparency, data protection, accountability, ethical oversight, and suitable reforms in legal education. The paper concludes that AI can strengthen the legal system only when it remains subject to human supervision and the constitutional values of justice, fairness, and equality.