Artificial Intelligence And Arbitrators: Friends Or Foes?

Introduction

Various technological developments and their intersection with arbitration have recently been subject to vigorous debates. Particularly with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a proliferation of smart technologies, which are geared towards increasing efficiency and quality of arbitrations. One such technological development sparking discussion has been Artificial Intelligence (AI). Several AI-based legal tech tools in the market have proved useful in terms of saving time and cost of arbitrations.

The essence of commercial arbitration is rooted in the efficient adjudication of legal disputes. With machine learning processes of the AI, these tasks can be readily automated. This begs the question whether AI could serve a bigger purpose in assuming important roles and tasks undertaken by arbitrators.