Artificial Intelligence in Judicial Systems: A Comparative Analysis of Regulatory Readiness and Accountability in Indonesia, Singapore and Uganda

Increasingly, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is influencing the way courts operate. However, there are significant differences regarding the integration and regulation of the use of AI in various jurisdictions. While most studies have thus far concentrated mainly on issues related to ethics and country-specific national AI strategies, existing literature has paid relatively little attention to what regulatory conditions must exist prior to and subsequent to the introduction of AI technology within the court system. This article examines regulatory preparedness and accountability in a comparative analysis of Indonesia, Singapore and Uganda. These three countries are at significantly varying levels of digitalization in their judicial processes. Using both a doctrine-based and comparative method, this article assesses legislative and policy frameworks, institutional capabilities, digital infrastructure, judicial oversight, transparency, explanations and procedural protections. The study contributes to judicial AI governance scholarship by showing, through a comparative analysis, that judicial digitalisation alone does not establish regulatory readiness for AI and that regulatory readiness and accountability must develop together rather than in sequence. An effective AI-enabled justice governance system requires appropriate legal and institutional frameworks that protect judicial independence, procedural fairness, and meaningful human oversight, while also allowing for technologically innovative solutions that are consistent with the rule of law.