People are using ChatGPT as a lawyer in court. Some are winning.

With generative AI tools available to anyone with an internet connection, a rising number of litigants are using ChatGPT to assist in their legal cases.

Lynn White was out of options.

Allegedly behind on rent payments to her trailer park in Long Beach, California, and facing an eviction notice, she worked with a lawyer from a local tenant advocacy network but lost in a jury trial.

White wanted to appeal, saying she was protected by Los Angeles regulations enacted in response to Covid that allowed a 12-month deferral of rent. So she decided to consult ChatGPT. Having previously used AI to generate videos for her small music production business, she thought it might be able to help in the legal arena, too.

“It was like having God up there responding to my questions,” White said after using the chatbot and an AI-powered search engine called Perplexity to help represent herself in court.