launching Smart Justice The Legal System in Light of Artificial Intelligence Conference
The Egyptian Society for Political Economy, Statistics, and Legislation organized its eighth legal conference, titled "Smart Justice: The Legal System in the Shadow of Artificial Intelligence," in cooperation with the Electronics Research Institute (ERI), affiliated with the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, at a hotel in Cairo.
The conference continued at the ERI headquarters, with the attendance of heads of judicial bodies, a select group of statesmen, and prominent legal, scientific, and media figures.
The ERI's participation in organizing the conference comes in implementation of the directives of Dr. Ayman Ashour, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, regarding the importance of linking scientific research to the needs of society and the state, in light of the rapid digital transformations. Artificial intelligence is no longer a scientific luxury, but a national necessity that requires close cooperation between research, academic, legislative, and executive institutions to ensure its safe, effective, and responsible use.
The conference concept was inspired by the opening speech delivered by President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi during the launch of the second edition of Egypt's Artificial Intelligence Strategy (2025–2030). He emphasized Egypt's commitment to advancing excellence in the AI industry, positioning Egypt as a beacon in this field in the Middle East and Africa, and strengthening its role as an active and influential player on the international stage. The Egyptian state has accelerated its adoption of AI technologies and their use, contributing to improving quality of life, developing institutional performance, and achieving effective and efficient justice. This strategic direction is reflected in the establishment of the Supreme Council for the Digital Society by Presidential Decree No. 501 of 2017, and its restructuring by Presidential Decree No. 511 of 2022. This is in addition to Prime Ministerial Decree No. 2889 of 2019 establishing the National Council for Artificial Intelligence, reflecting the state's commitment to digital transformation and enhancing its capabilities in this vital field. Dr. Rabeh Rateb, President of the Egyptian Society for Political Economy, Statistics, and Legislation, explained that artificial intelligence has become a global focus, sweeping across various countries, both developed and developing, and has entered all aspects of life. Discussions have increased regarding its importance and feasibility, particularly in the judicial and legal fields.
He pointed out that the primary objective of holding this conference is to raise scientific awareness among judges in judicial bodies and authorities, lawyers, police officers, and all those working in the judicial and legal fields, about the importance and impact of artificial intelligence technologies on the nature of their work, and how to deal with them effectively and responsibly, keeping pace with modern requirements.
Dr. Sherine Moharam, Head of the Electronics Research Institute, noted that the conference represents an important step toward exploring new horizons for the litigation system in Egypt, by integrating technology with the law within an integrated framework. This will contribute to building a more efficient justice model that responds to citizens' aspirations. She emphasized that artificial intelligence applications in the field of justice require flexible legislative frameworks and precise oversight mechanisms that ensure the safe and responsible use of this technology, while preserving individual rights and upholding established legal values. She also emphasized that we must pay special attention to issues of privacy, cybersecurity, and algorithmic bias, as they represent fundamental challenges that must be addressed with sound scientific and legislative awareness. Dr. Farag Al-Khalfawi, Head of the Conference Committee of the Egyptian Society for Political Economy, Statistics and Legislation, added that the world today stands at a critical crossroads, requiring a reconsideration of traditional legal frameworks and their modernization to keep pace with accelerating digital transformations. He explained that the matter is not limited to developing the digital infrastructure of courts, but extends to the formulation of modern legislation that regulates the relationship between artificial intelligence and the legal system, and sets the necessary ethical and legal controls for the use of these technologies, while defining the legal responsibilities arising from them. He emphasized that the conference aims to explore the concept of "smart justice" and analyze the legal and ethical dimensions of the use of artificial intelligence within the judicial system, while highlighting the challenges facing this transformation and proposing proposed solutions to ensure the activation of these technologies in a way that serves the principle of the rule of law and enhances litigants' confidence in justice. He pointed out that the conference seeks to highlight the new role of the legislator and legal actor in the era of artificial intelligence, and to open broad horizons for discussion about the future of justice in light of the digital revolution the world is witnessing today.
