Cyril Shroff on AI, Ethics, and India's Legal Future at JGU Lecture

"We are now living in a world where we're seeing not just the decline of constitutional institutions, but also in terms of the respect for international laws as well. What role do domestic law and domestic institutions play in your worldview? It underlines the principle that the Constitution, domestic institutions, courts and political process have such an important role to play. India is a true democracy. You may always find some imperfections in it, but at the end of the day, it is a democracy that works. We have courts that work, and we are a free society because of all these institutions," he said.

"The role of domestic institutions underpinned by the constitution of a country is the foundation, not only of our place in the world and our civilization, but also where we stand in terms of foreign relationships. We may have got our freedom, and the Constitution may be 77 years old, but we are a 2000-year-old civilization that is built on certain values. We've been through many foreign invasions, but we still essentially continue as a nation with a sense of identity.

"We probably have the best constitution in the world, and there is a lot of emotion that has created this magnificent document. Dr B. R. Ambedkar said that it is not just a lawyer's document, it's a way of life. When the world is faced with a lot of turmoil, it's also a great moment of transformation. We got our political freedom in 1947, but we got real economic freedom in 1991. I hope that we will stick to a few key principles. First is the rule of law. We, as lawyers, will always value the rule of law. The second is that we will, in terms of our policies, build a lot of resilience, which comes from economic strength and financial independence. This is an essential part of keeping self-respect and position as a truly independent nation that is not aligned with any part of the world because the world is now getting divided into three spheres of influence: the Western Hemisphere, China and Russia. Technology, sovereignty and AI capability will play a key role. And that was one of my motivations to create the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law and Regulation.

"What will India look like in 2047? Especially, what would our work in law be? Unless we are aligned with the idea of India becoming a developed country, we would not be performing to our potential. We want to contribute to India in terms of creating a modern legal profession. When I took charge, I saw an opportunity to change the entire dynamic of how legal education should be and how we can modernize the profession. We were the first firm that created a career track and for the first time, the idea of partnerships was given to people outside the founder family."

"Now AI is used in firms as a tool that is changing the way we work. A lot of new legislation, laws and ways of working are coming, which require a more innovative mindset to challenge yourself every day. It's a great opportunity to contribute to the human situation and to the evolving commercial reality of the marketplace. In terms of the way forward, what are the main things? One is ethics. The ethics of any profession are an important foundation, and often, not enough energy is devoted to them. Can we use technology as a means of resolving disputes quickly? How can we innovate in terms of separating the administrative side of the justice system? Another is improving access to justice. Why India lags on true innovation is because there is not enough alignment between academia, the private sector and the state."

Paridhi Adani, Partner, Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, shared her reflections on the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law & Regulation, highlighting the immense possibilities that arise from meaningful collaborations. She observed that JGU is building a legacy for the new India, and noted that the Centre is especially timely, responding to the urgent need for thoughtful engagement at the intersection of technology, law, and regulation.

Prof (Dr) C. Raj Kumar, Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University, extended a warm welcome to Cyril Shroff and said, "We are very fortunate to welcome a very distinguished and a truly outstanding legal luminary who has essentially transformed the landscape of the corporate legal profession in particular, but also the broader legal profession. It will go down in the annals of JGU history, the bond that we share with the Shroff family and their world-class and globally renowned law firm, and our relationship has stood the test of time since the University was established. This close partnership has led to the creation of a very unique and multi-disciplinary initiative in the form of the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law and Regulation, and it has been growing from strength to strength over the last six months since it came into existence. We are grateful for his wisdom and inspiring leadership."

Cyril Shroff also addressed the need for more gender balance in law and the legal profession and said that his firm was committed to gender equality, where more than two-thirds of employees were women, who were also highly represented in leadership positions. He also called upon young lawyers to modernise and disrupt the professions to make them ready for the future as India looks to become one of the top global economies. The key ideas from the distinguished public lecture included:

-- The interface between AI, law and regulation -- where rapid technological innovation meets legal frameworks still in the process of evolution.

-- The role of the Cyril Shroff Centre in shaping global conversations, research and policy on AI governance that transcend national boundaries and disciplinary silos.

-- The importance of multidisciplinary collaboration in addressing the complex legal, ethical and societal questions arising from AI's growing influence.

Professor Sidharth Chauhan, Director, Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law & Regulation, introduced the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law & Regulation. The introductory remarks were given by Prof Padmanabha Ramanujam, Dean, Office of Academic Governance and Student Life, O.P. Jindal Global University.

- IANS