‘Generative AI knowledge limited to ChatGPT’: Why law schools are launching artificial intelligence centres

“India has over 950 legal tech companies, and this number is steadily rising. From law firms, general counsel (GC) offices, litigation chambers, and legal aid cells to courts, every stakeholder is increasingly adopting legal tech,” said Sidharth Chauhan, associate professor and associate dean, Jindal Global Law School (JGLS) and director, Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law, and Regulation.

As AI-enabled systems increasingly influence courts, markets, and access to justice, the country’s premier law schools are scrambling to close a critical gap – most students and faculty cannot effectively use generative AI beyond ChatGPT. The solution – specialised centres at NLSIU Bangalore , NLU Tripura, Jindal Global and BITS launched since 2024 to make AI literacy as fundamental as constitutional law.

In 2025 alone, three major law schools established dedicated AI hubs. National Law University (NLU) Tripura established its Centre of Excellence (CoE) in AI and Data Governance; JGLS set up the Cyril Shroff Centre for AI, Law and Regulation in collaboration with Cyril Shroff, managing partner of Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas, a corporate law firm; and BITS Law School launched its Professional Advancement in Law through Executive Training and Technical Education (PALETTE) centre. A year earlier, National Law School of India University (NLSIU) Bengaluru established the JSW Centre for the Future of Law in collaboration with the JSW Foundation.

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AI push: Why law colleges are rushing

The initiative reveals a stark reality – law schools are not keeping pace with the profession they are training students to enter. “It is logical that law school education evolves simultaneously,” said Chauhan. “These can be reduced with introducing certain AI -led technologies and techniques. Currently, every student going into the legal industry is facing the issue of hallucinations of AI where they are marred with issues of incorrect information and plagiarism”

Nachiketa Mittal, director of NLU Tripura’s centre, put it bluntly: “Beyond ChatGPT nobody knows how to leverage generative AI platforms. Law schools don't have the right expertise or training to leverage generative AI platforms in a way that their work is not plagiarized, and the technology is effectively used, which may reduce the efforts and enhance the performance and efficiency”.

While law schools find AI expertise as “critical” expertise for law graduates, several case studies show the prominence of AI and new-age technology in the legal field.

“At NLS, we see AI expertise as critical because it will structure how law is practised, governed, and accessed in both India and the wider world. Empirical evidence from multiple jurisdictions already shows that AI tools are being rapidly adopted by lawyers, law firms, courts, and regulators, and it is essential that graduates of leading law schools are trained,” stated Rahul Hemrajani, assistant professor and faculty director, JSW Centre for the Future of Law, NLSIU.

“Most systems now use AI-enabled apps often in ways that outpace the capacity of law to respond. This growing divergence raises questions regarding accountability and fairness, as we increasingly delegate authority from human decision-makers to automated systems,” said Chauhan.

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Law courses, electives

While most centres are exploring courses within the bachelors and masters of law courses , a few have started with basic courses on AI. For instance, at JGLS, members of its new centre’s academic governance team teach courses on AI regulation, jurisprudential perspectives on law and technology, regulation of technology and cyberspace, AI ethics, and related subjects.

At NLSIU Bangalore, its newly formulated centre has anchored electives and courses on AI and the future of law, as well as AI governance and ethics. Hemrajani added, “Along with electives, NLSIU has also incorporated a ‘Law and New Technologies’ course into the core curriculum, including BA LLB, LLB Hons and MPP courses, to ensure students are prepared for the doctrinal and institutional challenges posed by new technologies.”

However, Bharadwaj has a different view. As every student comes from different backgrounds, many lack basic awareness of the nuances of AI technology and its application. “To address these challenges, we started with basic awareness through SAIGE. This initiative introduces new ideas of interesting applications of AI from different cases in India,” stated Bharadwaj. Over the months, the society has increased the group size from three to 20 students, he added

At NLU Tripura, the integration of the centre with students and curriculum will begin next semester. Mittal added, “Last semester we tried to figure out problems we can handle and make the centre come alive. During this, we discussed with students and other stakeholders the kind of courses, activities and credits that can be carried out at the centre. However, from the coming semester, we will be rolling out these activities to help students explore careers in the law and technology industry”.

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Law Schools: Beyond classrooms

At NLSIU Bangalore , through the centre, students have now received student access to premium AI tools, along with skill workshops on AI and its usage. Hemrajani stated, “Other than courses, the centre enables skill workshops and guest lectures with industry partners on the responsible use of AI in legal work and to deepen engagement with AI-related legal issues.

Further, at JGLS, at the curricular level, the centre contributes to the design and delivery of specialised electives, compulsory modules, and interdisciplinary courses with experiential projects on AI law and regulation. “Through these electives, we undertake hands-on experiential projects on legal tech, where students design and develop legal tech solutions like AI-powered Mediator Training Tool, applying and learning the principles of legal engineering, legal design, and design thinking.”

Also, NLU Tripura is finding synergies within the state institutes and governments. Mittal said, “We are in talks with the Tirupura government to start an incubation lab at the centre, potentially offering seed funding to fund student research projects.”

The institute has also signed a MoU with National Institute of technology (NIT) Tripura to address the legal issues engineering students face on campus through its legal expertise. “NIT Agartala has agreed that engineering graduates face challenges on legal issues regarding patenting and trademarks. So, under this MoU, we are trying to host programmes and courses together which can be offered for their students and our students collectively through the Center on Law and Technology.”

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AI and Law Courses: Challenges, future lens

Mittal stated that NLUs have not been able to leverage a lot of law and technology courses even at the master's level or undergrad level due to challenges. “Across NLUs, usually at the undergrad and masters level, only cyber or IT law is taught with many teachers not trained properly on these subjects. Unlike private universities who have deep pockets and infrastructure, NLUs have to abide by certain rules and notifications,” stated Mittal.

However, Chauhan added that the overarching goal of the AI centres is to produce graduates who are employable. “The legal-tech industry looks for graduates who have future-ready skill sets for emerging roles such as legal technologists, legal product managers, legal service designers and others. We need graduates who can shape the rules, norms, and institutions governing AI in society; and are legal tech innovators capable of designing, developing, and launching solutions that advance the legal industry and justice system in India.”