30 members of case law departments of courts from across Bosnia and Herzegovina have completed a specialised training in Tarčin on 29-30 September, on the responsible use of artificial intelligence (AI) in judicial work. The programme combined theoretical discussions with hands-on exercises, giving participants the chance to explore both the opportunities and risks of using AI tools in their daily practice.

They learned how AI can assist in summarising judgments and drafting legal submissions, while also testing verification techniques, fact-checking and accuracy checks to ensure trustworthy results. Council of Europe experts guided the group through critical issues such as risks linked to entering sensitive data, the need for anonymisation and encryption, and the broader legal and ethical dimensions - including liability, copyright, algorithmic bias, and discrimination.

As a practical outcome, participants developed a checklist for the safe and responsible use of AI and discussed the need for internal policies to support its introduction in courts. This work contributes to aligning practices across Bosnia and Herzegovina with Council of Europe standards, which contributes to greater efficiency, transparency, and public trust in the judiciary - ultimately reinforcing the rule of law.

The importance of addressing both the opportunities and the risks of AI in justice was also underscored in the Council of Europe Secretary General’s report Towards a New Democratic Pact for Europe. The report highlights that while AI can improve efficiency and access, it must never undermine fairness, transparency, judicial independence, or the right to a fair trial. Member states are therefore urged to implement the Council of Europe’s new AI Convention and the CEPEJ Ethical Charter, ensuring that the use of AI in courts remains subject to robust oversight, transparency, and the full protection of human rights.

The training was organised as part of the Council of Europe project “Support to a coherent national implementation of the European Convention on Human Rights and facilitating the execution of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” funded through the Action plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2022-2025.