Use of Artificial Intelligence in Criminal Proceedings of the Russian Federation

The article examines the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in domestic criminal proceedings. The author elucidates the essence of AI and provides a classification of the stages of development of these technologies. A crucial methodological principle is highlighted, emphasizing the strict separation of procedural and non-procedural aspects of AI’s impact on criminal proceedings. Through the interpretation of a fundamental criminal procedural provision regarding the free evaluation of evidence, the thesis is substantiated that the use of AI in assessing evidence within criminal procedural activities is inadmissible. The article discusses doctrinal viewpoints on the potential for integrating AI technologies into the activities of authorized state bodies and officials in making criminal procedural decisions. Illustrative examples, including the use of ChatGPT for legal tasks, demonstrate the current limitations of narrowly focused AI in effectively drafting legal documents, including those related to criminal procedures. The scientific perspective on the prospects of employing AI technologies in the activities of officials dealing with crime reports and making legislatively defined decisions is analyzed. Drawing parallels with this position and based on the axiom that only strictly formalized provisions can be programmed, the author concludes that there is potential for using AI technologies in criminal procedural activities concerning decisions on submitted motions and complaints. The article describes the main functions of an algorithm designed to analyze the content of incoming motions and complaints, providing judges with recommendations for making specific criminal procedural decisions.