Rising use of AI in Canadian courtrooms creates divide

Canadian courts are seeing a rise in use of artificial intelligence, giving some access to justice while taking valuable work experience away from law students, experts say.

Tom Macintosh Zheng, co-founder of Courtready, a website that offers tools and databases advising firms about AI, said the number of AI use has been climbing from 104 in 2025 to 142 in 2026 so far.

“They’re using AI because they can’t afford a lawyer,” said Macintosh Zheng, noting over 80 per cent of people using the technology are self-represented.