A Washington judge has banned artificial intelligence (AI)-enhanced video from being used as evidence in the trial of a man accused of murdering three people.
The decision, signed by King County Superior Court Judge Leroy McCullough on Friday, could be the first of its kind to be handed down in a courtroom amid the rise of AI technology. NBC News first reported.
“The court believes that admitting this AI-enhanced evidence could lead to confusion and confusion of witness testimony, leading to lengthy intra-trial hearings regarding the non-peer-reviewable process used by the court. “We have determined that there is an AI mode,” McCullough wrote.
Joshua Proka's lawyers sought to introduce cell phone video evidence enhanced by AI. According to the report, prosecutors said there was no precedent for using this technology in court.
Proka claimed self-defense after being charged with murder after a Sept. 26, 2021, shooting at a bar near Seattle. He killed three people and injured two others at La Familia Sports Pub and Lounge in Des Moines.
Local police said at the time that there was an argument and that the two left the bar in separate cars.
Proka claimed he was trying to de-escalate the situation when he fired back after being shot, striking an innocent bystander.
The shooting was captured on cellphone video, and his attorney wanted to enhance the video. NBC News reports that they asked video production editors to use software that would allow them to “supercharge” their videos.
Prosecutors said the video reinforced images that were “inaccurate, misleading and unreliable.” Experts said the software aims to make videos more visually appealing, but may not reflect the truth.
The ruling comes as lawmakers across the country battle over the new capabilities and accessibility of AI technology. Just last week, the White House announced the first government-wide policy aimed at mitigating AI risks.
Last October, President Biden signed a comprehensive executive order on the technology, but McCullough's ruling proves that as AI becomes more powerful and widely used, further policies will be needed. .
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