AI and Its Impact on Social Justice: A Socio-Legal Study

Abstract

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a type of technology that lets computers do things that are usually done by people. This quickly changes India’s social, economic, and legal landscape. It promises to make things work better, make the government better, and help people get justice easily. AI-driven systems can make public services, healthcare, and education more open, cut down on wait times, and make sure everyone is included. AI can help judges and lawyers in the justice system by using predictive tools, analysing data, and making case management easier. These improvements can help make things more fair and better for everyone if they are used correctly. AI can also pose significant threats to constitutional ideals of justice, liberty, and equality. In a country like India, where caste, class, gender, and region are already very unequal, unregulated AI can make these differences even worse. The algorithmic biases, data discrimination, and exclusionary outcomes may have a bigger impact on marginalised communities. As stated in Article 21 of Indian Constitution, growing use of AI also threatens right to privacy and personal freedom in data collection and surveillance. Ethical and constitutional ramifications of AI necessitate examination within India’s existing legal framework, which is currently insufficient in this regard. Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, and other policy documents in India address related issues, but there is still a pressing need for a comprehensive, rights-based governance model. This paper attempts to analyse the challenges that AI presents to constitutional principles of freedom, equality, and dignity. So, it calls for an ethical and human-centred regulatory framework that makes sure AI development is in line with the goals of social justice and constitutional morality. This way, technology will help people instead of undermining them.