Chief Justice Uz Abdul Ghanee Mohamed has stressed that human judgement and ethical considerations must take precedence over technology in the administration of justice, cautioning against over reliance on artificial intelligence within judicial processes.

The Chief Justice made the remarks at the opening ceremony of this year’s Judicial Conference 2026, a two-day forum organised by the Department of Judicial Administration through its Judicial Academy, aimed at gathering ideas and recommendations to enhance the functioning of the courts.

The opening ceremony was attended by the President of the Judicial Service Commission, Husnee Mubarik, members of the commission, judges from across the Maldivian courts, and senior Government officials. The theme of this year’s conference is Strengthening Judicial Efficieny in the Maldives though Responsible Use of Technology, with discussions focused on assessing the current use of technology in the judiciary and identifying future priorities.

Addressing the participants, the Chief Justice described the conference as an important platform for judges to engage in capacity building and collective reflection. While acknowledging that artificial intelligence tools are currently being used in judicial systems in around 40 countries, he noted that the integration of such technologies must be approached with caution. He warned that although technology can improve efficiency, it also carries risks, including potential bias, and cannot replace human intellect, intuition, and moral reasoning in judicial decision-making.

The Chief Justice also said that special efforts would be undertaken to reduce case backlogs and resolve pending cases within the year, highlighting this as a key priority for the judiciary.

According to the Department of Judicial Administration, the first day of the conference will feature sessions on the use of AI and technology in the judiciary, while the second day will focus on addressing challenges faced by the sector, including discussions on regulations governing magistrate courts. Professor Dr Hassan Ugail is the keynote speaker at the conference, with facilitators from the Judicial Academy of India also conducting sessions.

The Judges’ Symposium has been held annually since 2016 as part of efforts to strengthen judicial administration. This year’s event is expected to bring together more than 100 representatives from various judicial institutions.