Stanford Professor Admits AI Missteps in Court

Stanford University professor Jeff Hancock, an expert in misinformation, has admitted to using artificial intelligence (AI) to draft a court document that included fabricated citations related to a Minnesota law prohibiting AI-generated misinformation in elections. The declaration, submitted as part of a defense against a lawsuit challenging the law's constitutionality, contained references to studies that do not exist, which opposing lawyers identified and highlighted in court. Hancock, who charged the state of Minnesota $600 an hour, claimed that the inaccuracies were unintentional results of using ChatGPT-4o, and he expressed regret for any confusion caused. The Minnesota Attorney General's Office, unaware of the errors until alerted by the plaintiffs, has requested permission from the court for Hancock to submit a revised declaration. The case raises significant ethical questions about the reliance on AI tools in legal contexts, echoing a recent New York court ruling emphasizing the need for transparency regarding AI usage in expert opinions. Hancock defended the use of AI as a common practice among academics and professionals for drafting and research.