AI Hallucinations: Fake Citations, Real Sanctions

Providence Private Client Senior Associate Joshua Simon recently co-authored an article for the Rhode Island Bar Journal on the mounting legal and ethical risks surrounding AI hallucinations, instances where AI tools generate fake citations in court filings.

In the piece, Simon and co-author Stephanie Simon of the Law Office of Joseph M. Condega examine how judges across the country are increasingly issuing monetary sanctions, disciplinary referrals, and case dismissals against attorneys who fail to verify AI-generated content. Drawing on hundreds of recent decisions, they show that courts now treat such errors as serious breaches of professional responsibility that undermine judicial efficiency and public trust, extending accountability to experts, paralegals, and even pro se litigants. Ultimately, the authors caution that while AI can enhance legal practice, it must be employed with careful human oversight to preserve the integrity of advocacy and the justice system.

Read the full article here.