Key points:

• • • Varied AI adoption across courts in APAC 鈥� Courts across the Asia Pacific region are at different stages of AI exploration and implementation.

    • Priority on cautious, responsible implementation 鈥� Leading jurisdictions, such as South Korea, have developed comprehensive guidance that emphasizes human responsibility and accountability.

    • Key governance recommendations for courts around the world 鈥� Successful AI integration in courts requires critical elements around transparency, training, and assessment.

As with courts in the United States, court systems across the Asia Pacific region (APAC) are facing mounting caseloads as more individuals seek self-representation without professional legal advisers, leading to increased attention on access to justice.

Not surprisingly, AI has emerged as a tool with the potential to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the region鈥檚 judicial processes. A recent webinar hosted by the and the 成人VR视频 Institute, as part of their joint , featured the varied approaches on the use of AI in courts across APAC.

, a director in the Asia & Emerging Markets group of 成人VR视频, has an expertise on the current state of AI use in courts across the region, and he describes a spectrum of stages in adoption that included jurisdictions like Singapore, on one end, that are proactively piloting AI tools, such as generative AI (GenAI) assistants to help self-represented litigants and to summarize case materials for judges.

China鈥檚 courts, on the other hand, use a nationwide smart court system with extensive AI and big data integration, Heaphy says, adding that judges use AI tools for legal research, drafting, and error checking, but humans remain responsible for decisions. And other Asia Pacific jurisdictions like Hong Kong, Japan, and India are also actively exploring AI with a focus on governance frameworks and pilot projects that could extend to their court systems.

Different stages of court systems鈥� journeys

Many countries in the APAC region are at different stages of their AI journey, and South Korea and Australia, for example, have taken a cautious approach to AI adoption by issuing guidance to ensure responsible use and the mitigation of risks.

In South Korea, the Judicial Policy Advisory Committee, an advisory body that deliberates on judicial reform measures proposed by the Chief Justice, issued recommendations in August 2024 on AI use in judicial proceedings with a priority on underscoring principles of protecting fundamental rights and ensuring accountability and transparency, according to the , a judge on the Intellectual Property High Court of Korea. In parallel, the Association of Korean Judges for AI Studies, a research group of judges founded in 2023, published its Guidelines for the Use of AI in the Judiciary in February 2025, which further elaborates the safe use of AI by judges and litigants.

Many countries in the APAC region are at different stages of their AI journey, and South Korea and Australia, for example, have taken a cautious approach to AI adoption by issuing guidance to ensure responsible use and the mitigation of risks.

In Australia, the Supreme Court of New South Wales issued a practice note to the profession restricting the use of GenAI in drafting evidence without rigorous verification, according to , Deputy Chief Magistrate of Victoria, Australia.

While adoption of AI in courts is being driven by the goal of improving access to justice and addressing growing caseloads, each country has its own unique priorities and projects. For example, South Korea’s judiciary currently is focused on advancing AI tools for case management. 鈥淭hese include initial case analysis functions that can automatically extract key information from complaints or indictments, generate procedural checklists, predict timelines, and identify governing law,鈥� said Judge Kwon, adding that there also is an AI tool for law clerks to conduct content analysis. This tool chronologically itemizes events from the arguments of both parties in a structured, tabular or visual format, and highlights repetitive content to help judges focus on what is truly in dispute.

Conversely, Australia鈥檚 guideline-driven approach has been external looking, said Deputy Chief Magistrate Bourke, noting that Australia鈥檚 AI use is geared more 鈥渢owards external parties as compared to internally within the court. There are no current settings, as far as the court鈥檚 use of AI.鈥�

Key recommendations for courts around the globe

As courts around the world explore the integration of AI into their judicial processes, several critical initiatives that have emerged to shape responsible and effective adoption, including:

Prioritizing transparency and accountability 鈥� Comprehensive frameworks must be established that prioritize transparency and accountability. Policymakers should develop detailed guidelines that address data privacy, bias mitigation, and clear boundaries for AI applications.

Promoting continuous learning 鈥斅燙ontinuous training programs should be established to help judicial officers and court staff understand AI capabilities and limitations while maintaining their critical oversight role in all AI-assisted workflows.

Conducting ongoing impact assessment 鈥� Focused investigation into AI’s judicial impact remains crucial, and special attention should be paid to significant challenges around accuracy, bias, and access to justice that require continued study and analysis.

Users of AI in courts need clear AI governance, opportunities for ongoing education, and an continuous evaluation of the use and performance of AI tools in order to ensure that AI best serves courts and the public.

You can find out more about the use of AI in courts here

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General Counsel Trends Driving Japan鈥檚 Legal Market in 2025

Nevertheless, there is a region where significant change is underfoot that could provide valuable lessons for law firms around the world, whether they are large global entities or boutique midsize firms 鈥� Japan.

The 成人VR视频 Institute鈥檚 latest report, , offers a rare and timely look into a legal market that is not only growing rapidly but also is evolving in ways that could foreshadow broader global trends. Based on in-depth interviews with general counsel and senior legal decision-makers at major Japanese corporations, the report reveals a market that is both uniquely Japanese and strikingly global in its trajectory.

A market on the move

Like in many legal markets around the world, Japan鈥檚 legal industry is undergoing a transformation. Once known for its conservative approach to legal services and a cultural preference for informal dispute resolution, the country is now seeing a surge in legal demand 鈥� particularly for international work. In fact, Japanese companies with more than $1 billion in annual revenue now allocate nearly half of their legal budgets to matters outside Japan.

This internationalization is not just a trend 鈥� it鈥檚 a structural shift. The number of Japanese companies with overseas legal needs has grown to 90% from 74% over the past decade. And with that growth comes opportunity, both for domestic firms to expand their capabilities and for international firms to gain a stronger foothold in a market that has traditionally been difficult to penetrate.

Yet, this growth is not without its challenges, as the report shows. Japan鈥檚 legal sector is grappling with a familiar but acute issue 鈥� a shortage of qualified legal professionals. As demand rises, firms are struggling to scale; and this has opened the door for international firms, particularly those with strong M&A and regulatory practices, to step in and support those Japanese clients with global ambitions.

The report also highlights how general counsel in Japan are increasingly prioritizing outside law firms with broad service offerings and global reach. While trust and relationships remain important, the ability to deliver across jurisdictions is becoming a key differentiator for many Japan-based law firms.

GenAI: A further catalyst for change

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Japan鈥檚 legal evolution is its potential role as a proving ground for the use of generative AI (GenAI) in legal services. With its deep-rooted culture of technological innovation and a pressing need to boost capacity, Japan is uniquely positioned to lead in the adoption of AI-driven legal solutions and tools.

Japanese law firms are already embracing technologies like e-discovery and automation, and many see GenAI as a way to not only alleviate staffing pressures but also to leapfrog into a new era of legal service delivery. Whether this will help domestic firms reclaim market share from international competitors 鈥� or further accelerate the latter鈥檚 rise 鈥� remains to be seen.

What makes Japan鈥檚 legal market so compelling is not just its growth, but its potential to serve as a bellwether for the global industry. The interplay of internationalization, capacity constraints, and technological disruption is not unique to Japan 鈥� but the way these forces are converging there is.

As the report shows, for law firms around the world, understanding what鈥檚 happening in Japan isn鈥檛 just interesting 鈥� it鈥檚 instructive. The strategies that succeed (or fail) in this high-pressure, high-opportunity environment could offer a preview of what鈥檚 to come elsewhere.

You can explore

these insights in more detail by downloading a full copy of the 成人VR视频 Institute’s “General Counsel Trends Driving Japan鈥檚 Legal Market in 2025” or here