TL;DR

An updated briefing paper from the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory explores how AI could improve the UK’s family justice system while cautioning that adoption must be “informed by what children and parents want.” Public acceptance remains low for emotionally complex legal matters.

Three Areas of Opportunity

The paper identifies three distinct areas where AI is being used in family justice: improving families’ experiences, enabling administrative efficiencies, and supporting decision-making. Tools range from online dispute resolution platforms to AI transcription and case management systems, spanning both paid and free options.

The authors conclude that general-purpose AI’s rapid evolution means the justice system must act to “harness its use for the benefit of children and families, as well as recognising its limits.”

Public Scepticism Runs Deep

A 2025 survey of 4,100 people across the UK and US found that while almost half were comfortable with AI supporting wills or rental agreements, only 17% accepted AI involvement in emotionally complex legal matters such as divorce. The gap suggests people draw a firm line between administrative AI assistance and decisions affecting family relationships.

The Ada Lovelace Institute and Alan Turing Institute’s annual survey of public attitudes reinforced this picture. While speed and efficiency were seen as benefits, 67% of respondents said they had experienced harm from AI — including false information, financial fraud and deepfakes. Public demand for AI regulation has grown, with 72% now wanting laws governing AI, up from 62% in 2022/23.

Governance Questions

The government’s AI Action Plan for Justice, published in 2025, set a three-year vision for AI adoption across the wider justice system. How this translates into family justice specifically will require “close attention,” according to the paper’s authors — particularly around bias, privacy, transparency and accuracy.

Looking Forward

The briefing paper arrives at a moment when AI tools are already entering family courts through back doors — litigants using ChatGPT to draft applications, practitioners trialling transcription tools. The question is no longer whether AI will be used in family justice, but whether its adoption will be shaped by policy or left to happen by default.