Artificial Intelligence and the Law: Human Rights, Justice Systems, and Governance in the Age of Autonomous Decision-Making

This paper critically examines the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and legal systems, with a particular focus on human rights, justice administration, and governance in an era of autonomous decision-making. Drawing from the Council of Europe’s initiatives (CAHAI, CDCJ, CEPEJ), the European Union’s Artificial Intelligence Act, and comparative legal perspectives, it explores how emerging AI applications—from predictive policing and biometric surveillance to case file digitization and algorithmic adjudication—are reshaping legal processes. Key issues addressed include the right to a fair trial, the “black box” effect, AI personhood debates, liability allocation, and the integration of ethical and technical safeguards to mitigate bias, enhance transparency, and preserve judicial independence. The paperalso investigates the role of AI in criminal law, prosecutorial workflows, and civil dispute resolution, assessing both the efficiency gains and the attendant risks to fundamental rights