AI Speeds Up Shenzhen Court Cases by 50% – Is This China's Future?

Shenzhen's AI-Powered Judicial System Sets New Standards

Shenzhen, often referred to as China's Silicon Valley, has taken a significant step forward in the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into its judicial system. According to the city's Intermediate People's Court, the AI-powered pilot system processed 50% more cases last year compared to 2024. This innovative approach is now being considered for expansion across dozens of other Chinese cities.

In a recent social media post, the Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court highlighted that each judge in the city handled an average of 744 cases in 2025, which is 249 more than the previous year. This increase placed Shenzhen's judges at the top of efficiency and productivity within Guangdong province, with them handling 261 more cases than the provincial average.

The AI tool, developed in 2024, is the first intelligent judicial assistance system in China that utilizes domain-specific large language models. After two years of development, it now covers 85 judicial procedures in civil, administrative, and criminal litigation, including case filing, review, court hearings, and document preparation.

Kuang Xiaohua, vice-president of the court, emphasized the value of the technology during a provincial AI conference on April 27. He stated, "While everyone is still discussing whether artificial intelligence can be used in the universally acknowledged high-stakes field of judicial adjudication, we have already provided a practical answer."

The average number of cases handled by judges in Shenzhen last year was also about twice the national average of 354 cases reported in 2024 by People's Court Daily, the official publication of China's supreme court. Zhang Jun, president of the Supreme People's Court, praised Shenzhen's AI system trial, stating it had produced "excellent results." He noted that the pilot scheme had been rolled out across 23 intermediate and local courts in 11 provinces using an AI system based on the one used in Shenzhen.

Guidelines for AI Use in the Judicial System

Despite the benefits, the Shenzhen court emphasized that judges using the AI tool remained responsible for the final decision in each step of the process. Guidelines for using the system, developed in conjunction with the Shenzhen Research Institute of Big Data and Tsinghua University's Research Centre for Justice Studies of China, were released on April 21.

These guidelines highlight potential risks around the use of AI in the court system and clarify the boundaries for their use. They state that the tool is there for assistance but does not replace judges in exercising their judicial role. The guidelines caution against the misconception of "machines replacing judges" and warn of the "significant risks" of using AI technology in the courts. These risks include erosion of authority and responsibility, misinterpretation of instructions, deviation from legal procedures, unauthorized use of the tool, and data leaks.

The guidelines also specify that AI must not be used for adjudication and approval; data not through compliance review must not be used to train the technology; components not undergoing security assessment, certification, and compliance review must not be used; and built-in access control, audit trails, and risk prevention mechanisms must not be bypassed or disrupted.

Challenges and Concerns

The broader trial has faced criticism due to the lack of nationwide technical standards and institutional norms. Individual courts have had to develop their own systems based on their needs. Zhang Xinmei, party secretary and acting president of the Tangyin County People's Court in Henan province, wrote in a paper in November that this lack of a unified system was resulting in a "significant waste of resources."

Xie Maosong, a senior researcher at the National Institute of Strategic Studies at Tsinghua University, noted that wider use of the tool would require other cities to find people with skills in both AI technology and the legal system. "Shenzhen is unique because it is China's Silicon Valley," he said. "Other cities will have to find ways to recruit multi-skilled talent to make this project actually work."

Hao Yachao, a partner at Zebo Law Firm in Beijing, stated that AI technology could help improve the routine and "mechanical" work of China's courts, but judges still had a key role to play. "AI is definitely helpful, but it cannot replace the most important thing in a trial: the fair and impartial heart of the judge," she said, adding that the "overly mechanical" nature of some Chinese judges was a problem that AI could not fix.

"This stems from a reluctance to take responsibility and a long-standing lack of judicial independence."