Fugees rapper says lawyer's use of AI helped tank his case, pushes for new trial

WASHINGTON (AP) — The trial of a Fugees rapper, who was convicted this year in multimillion-dollar political conspiracies, stretched across the worlds of politics and entertainment — and now the case is touching on the tech world with arguments that his defense attorney bungled the case, in part, by using an artificial intelligence program to write his closing arguments. 

Prakazrel “Pras” Michel argued that use of the “experimental” generative AI program was one of a number of errors his previous attorney made a trial for which he was “unqualified, unprepared and ineffectual," according to a motion for new trial his new lawyers filed this week. The company behind the program, on the other hand, said it was a tool used to help write closing statements, and a harbinger of major changes in the field.  

Generative AI programs are capable of creating realistic text, images and video. They're raising tough questions about misinformation and copyright protections as well as industry calls for regulations in Congress. Programs like ChatGPT have already had ripple effects across professions like writing and education. The arguments in the Michel case could be a preview of issues to come as the technology makes a rapid advance.  

The Grammy winning rapper's trial was touted as the first time generative AI was used during closing statements in a news release from the startup company that designed the system. Defense attorney David Kenner, well known for his previous representation of rappers like Suge Knight and Snoop Dogg, also gave a quote calling the system a “game changer for complex litigation."