Research and Oversight of AI in Courts Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Senator Roger Wicker
Introduced
Summary
This bill would create a Task Force to study how AI speech-to-text and automatic speech recognition would affect the U.S. judicial system, with a focus on protecting the accuracy and constitutional rights of court records. It charges that group with examining accuracy, privacy, civil liberties, vendor practices, and how courtwork may change when courts use these tools.
Show full summary
- Courts and judges would get a structured review and recommendations on whether AI affects transcript quality, evidentiary value, courtroom disruptions, and administrative costs. The Task Force must deliver a final report within 18 months and periodic status updates every 4 months.
- Litigants, witnesses, and people with accents or speech differences would see assessments on whether AI changes how their speech is recorded and whether those changes affect costs for litigants. The study explicitly includes impacts on people with speech impediments and unique speech patterns.
- Privacy and civil liberty groups would receive analysis on cybersecurity risks, data integrity, metadata disclosure, and whether AI-created or modified records should display a permanent or temporary indicator such as a watermark or header.
- Courts and procurement officials would get guidance on vendor selection, metadata practices, and transparency. The Task Force would be made up of 15 members: 4 federal officials and 11 non-federal experts who cannot be employed by or represent AI vendors. Travel is reimbursed but members serve without additional pay.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Roger Wicker
MS • R
Cosponsors
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 3/19/2026
Cindy Hyde-Smith
MS • R
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov