While the rest of us were figuring out how to get AI to write our grocery lists or summarize a Netflix plotline, the Arizona Supreme Court was over here quietly reinventing how it delivers justice… using AI avatars.
Yep, you read that right.
Meet Daniel and Victoria—Arizona’s newest virtual court reporters. These lifelike avatars have become the official face (and voice) of the state’s top court, reading out judicial decisions online in plain English. Think of them like the Siri of legal press releases—if Siri had a law degree and a better blazer.
The court’s goal? Make justice feel more human and more accessible in an age where TikTok is where most people get their news. Instead of reading dense PDFs or decoding legal jargon, Arizonans can now watch a quick, clear video summarizing the decision, scripted by real justices and approved by humans before going live.
No, this isn’t some dystopian Black Mirror twist. These avatars aren’t ChatGPT-in-a-robe making rulings. As Chief Justice Ann Timmer puts it, these digital stand-ins aren’t powered by generative AI. They don’t invent or interpret anything. They simply present content created by real humans on the bench.
In a world where some lawyers have been fined for submitting AI-generated legal nonsense (yes, fake cases, really), Arizona’s approach feels like a breath of grounded innovation. They’re using AI to boost transparency without throwing accuracy out the window.
This isn’t about cutting humans out. It’s about using smart tools to better connect with the public—and remind them that justice doesn’t have to sound like a robot. Ironically, a robot might just be the one helping us understand it.
