First European survey on the use of AI in judicial expertise
Artificial intelligence is rapidly becoming part of the day-to-day practice of forensic experts in Europe — often without being particularly noticeable. To gain a better understanding of this transformation, the European Institute of Expertise and Experts (EEEI) conducted, in September 2025, the first European survey on the use of AI in judicial expertise, involving practitioners from several Member States.
This report provides a structured overview of current practices, challenges and expectations, as well as a framework for the responsible, transparent and effective integration of AI into the judicial process.
Key takeaways
AI is already in use, but largely on an informal
basis. Many experts use AI tools on an ad hoc basis, without any structured integration.
Responsibility remains entirely with the human
party. The expert retains full legal responsibility for the content submitted to the court.
The main obstacles are primarily ethical and organisational
in nature. Concerns centre on reliability, transparency, and a lack of training.
Its integration into legal proceedings remains limited
. The use of AI is still at an exploratory stage and is rarely formalised.
Strong demand for structured
European frameworks: Experts are calling for standards, training, and governance at European level.
Key findings from the survey
- 255 validated responses from 8 countries
- 20 legal experts from 5 countries have been brought together in the working group
- 65 per cent of experts are already using AI
- 73 per cent have not received any formal training and have expressed a specific need
- 78 per cent would like a specific regulatory framework
- 43 per cent are not familiar with the AI Act or the CEPEJ guidelines
These findings reveal a clear trend: rapid adoption of AI, but practices that are still poorly structured and inadequately regulated.
What the experts say
The European survey reveals a role in transition:
- a cautious but growing uptake,
- a keen awareness of ethical issues,
- high expectations regarding support and training,
- a shared commitment to transparency and accountability.
Today, AI is mainly used for:
- drafting and rewriting
- abstracts of documents
- searching for information
A structured framework
In response to these findings, the report is structured around four key pillars:
- Paradigm: defining the role of AI as a support tool, without ever calling into question the expert’s responsibility
- Transparency: ensuring traceability of usage and clear information in procedures
- Ethics & Data: safeguarding reliability, fundamental rights and accountability
- Training: addressing the major skills gap and standardising practices
These guidelines are based on the main European frameworks:
- the European AI Regulation (AI Act),
- the GDPR,
- the CEPEJ’s Code of Ethics,
- the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union.
Why this report is important
Expert evidence plays a central role in civil, administrative and criminal proceedings.
The integration of artificial intelligence into the practices of legal experts forms part of a wider trend towards the digital transformation of the justice system in Europe, driven in particular by the Council of Europe and the CEPEJ.
In this context, the work of the Working Group on Cyberjustice and Artificial Intelligence (CEPEJ-GT-CYBERJUST) emphasises that these developments constitute both:
- a major opportunity to improve the efficiency and quality of the justice system,
- and a challenge to the observance of fundamental principles such as independence, impartiality, the right to be heard and the protection of fundamental rights.
In this context, the CEPEJ is developing tools, guidelines, and frameworks designed to support Member States and legal professionals in the secure and ethical integration of digital technologies and artificial intelligence.
This report comes at a crucial time.
As the European frameworks take shape, it makes a vital contribution by:
- documenting the actual practices of experts, which are still not very visible,
- identifying discrepancies between practice and regulation,
- highlighting the practical needs on the ground.
In particular, it highlights some fundamental issues:
- Who is liable when AI is used?
- How can we ensure transparency and fairness?
- What level of disclosure is required?
The report highlights a fundamental principle
AI does not diminish the expert’s responsibility — it reinforces it.
In the absence of a clear and operational framework at the practical level, the risk lies not in the technology itself, but in the gap between its actual use and the available frameworks for governance, training, and oversight.
In this respect, this report is fully in line with the current European agenda:
1/ to bridge the gap between technological innovation and legal safeguards,
2/ and to contribute to the harmonised, responsible and controlled integration of AI into the justice system.
The EEEI approach
The report proposes a pragmatic and balanced European approach, based on:
- human oversight and full accountability,
- appropriate transparency,
- compliance with legal and ethical frameworks (AI Act, CEPEJ),
- the safe use of tools,
- progressive training tailored to specific fields.
AI is defined as: a professional support tool — never a decision-maker, never a party liable for responsibility.
Access the full report in English or French
Join the initiative
This report does not represent a definitive position, but rather a starting point for a European dialogue.
We invite:
- forensic experts
- judges
- the institutions
- researchers
to help shape a responsible and transparent approach to AI in judicial expertise.
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