April 13, 2021

Computer-Judge Finds You Guilty


Computer-Judge Finds You Guilty
Do robots count as a jury of your peers? AlejandroLinaresGarcia, Wikimedia Commons

No one ever accused the Russian legal system of being overly human. And with recent advances in artificial intelligence, we're not optimistic for the future.

Russian authorities under the Ministry of Economic Development are reportedly undertaking research to make laws that computers can understand and, by extension, adjudicate. By turning statutes into mathematical algorithms, proponents say, computers can decide on court decisions without bias.

Supporters say that automated judicial proceedings will keep down costs for taxpayers and defendants, since they won't have to hire lawyers or pay judges. This camp also argues that, since machines are impartial, they'll provide valuable oversight to government activities (we aren't holding our breath).

Other limbs of the Russian state are interested in similar software, which could help automate regulations and control. The organization developing the programs, a working group formed by government ministries, stresses that this is only a "10-20% increase in automation" over current activities.

Fortunately, cold robo-Revizors aren't a reality just yet, but cyberpunk dystopia seems close already: the Ministry has been handed preliminary data, so we could be protesting traffic tickets to computers in the not-too-distant future. Next Sunday, AD, perhaps?

You Might Also Like

Putting Robots to Work on the Past
  • March 01, 2020

Putting Robots to Work on the Past

Ever wanted to take a stroll in nineteenth century Moscow? See how one Russian uses machine learning to make grainy old videos ever more realistic.
Pay with your Face
  • December 13, 2020

Pay with your Face

The Moscow Metro plans to allow passengers to pay with Face ID.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices
May 01, 2013

Stargorod: A Novel in Many Voices

Stargorod is a mid-sized provincial city that exists only in Russian metaphorical space. It has its roots in Gogol, and Ilf and Petrov, and is a place far from Moscow, but close to Russian hearts. It is a place of mystery and normality, of provincial innocence and Black Earth wisdom. Strange, inexplicable things happen in Stargorod. So do good things. And bad things. A lot like life everywhere, one might say. Only with a heavy dose of vodka, longing and mystery.

Survival Russian
February 01, 2009

Survival Russian

Survival Russian is an intensely practical guide to conversational, colloquial and culture-rich Russian. It uses humor, current events and thematically-driven essays to deepen readers’ understanding of Russian language and culture. This enlarged Second Edition of Survival Russian includes over 90 essays and illuminates over 2000 invaluable Russian phrases and words.

White Magic
June 01, 2021

White Magic

The thirteen tales in this volume – all written by Russian émigrés, writers who fled their native country in the early twentieth century – contain a fair dose of magic and mysticism, of terror and the supernatural. There are Petersburg revenants, grief-stricken avengers, Lithuanian vampires, flying skeletons, murders and duels, and even a ghostly Edgar Allen Poe.

Steppe
July 15, 2022

Steppe

This is the work that made Chekhov, launching his career as a writer and playwright of national and international renown. Retranslated and updated, this new bilingual edition is a super way to improve your Russian.

At the Circus
January 01, 2013

At the Circus

This wonderful novella by Alexander Kuprin tells the story of the wrestler Arbuzov and his battle against a renowned American wrestler. Rich in detail and characterization, At the Circus brims with excitement and life. You can smell the sawdust in the big top, see the vivid and colorful characters, sense the tension build as Arbuzov readies to face off against the American.

The Latchkey Murders
July 01, 2015

The Latchkey Murders

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin is back on the case in this prequel to the popular mystery Murder at the Dacha, in which a serial killer is on the loose in Khrushchev’s Moscow...

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955