Hangzhou court conducts hearing with new AI technology

Photo taken on April 20, 2018 shows a hearing is underway in the West Lake District People’s Court in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

A court in Zhejiang's provincial capital, Hangzhou, has taken the latest step toward becoming more integrated in China's digital revolution.

A hearing has taken place this past Friday with only the judge present, reports Chinanews.com. 

The hearing in a civil suit saw the plaintiff give testimony from his home, while the defendant provided evidence from a legal office some 1,200 kilometers away. 

This has been made possible through Alibaba's latest AI system, the ET Industrial Brain, which is designed to streamline legal procedures. 

"Human stenographers are no longer needed in around 70 percent of trials with this new system. AI stenographers have a much higher rate of accuracy and can take dictation much more quickly than someone who is typing," said Xiao Fangxun, the judge who presided over Friday's case.

Photo taken on April 20, 2018 shows a hearing is underway in the West Lake District People’s Court in Hangzhou, east China’s Zhejiang province. [Photo: Chinanews.com]

Beyond stenography, the ET Industrial Brain can also "learn" the dossiers in a case automatically by simply uploading the files. This dramatically cuts down on the time needed to add the information into the court record.

The ET Industrial Brain is the latest technology being employed in Chinese courts.