The UK government will trial artificial intelligence-powered legal assistants in the Crown Court as it looks to reduce the record backlog of criminal cases and speed up proceedings.The Justice Ministry said judges and lawyers will test the AI tools in a controlled environment before a wider rollout. This technology will help analyze case files, identify cases ready for trial, and group similar hearings together to make better use of court time.Justice Secretary David Lammy is expected to announce the initiative at London Tech Week on Tuesday, The Independent reports, citing AI as a tool that can help modernize the justice system and deliver faster results for victims.The move comes as the crown court backlog in England and Wales has risen above 80,000 cases, more than double the 38,108 cases recorded in 2019 before the Covid-19 pandemic.The government will also introduce an AI transcription tool for probation officers in England and Wales. The system will automatically record and transcribe conversations with criminals, reducing administrative workload.“Artificial intelligence has the power to change the way we live, work and govern for the better,” Lammy said. He said technology can help reduce court delays while saving thousands of hours of administrative work.The plans have been welcomed cautiously by legal bodies.Ian Jeffery, chief executive of the Law Society of England and Wales, said the pilot should be thoroughly evaluated and its findings made public. He stressed that technology should support access to justice but cannot replace investment in courts and staffing.Andrew Thomas Casey, vice president of the Criminal Bar Association, said AI could handle routine tasks more efficiently, but warned that judges and lawyers should understand its limitations.Criminal cases still require human judgment and careful evaluation of evidence, he said, adding that AI should support legal professionals rather than replace them.