Fugees Rapper Calls for New Trial, Claims AI Tech Sabotaged His Case

Prakazrel “Pras” Michel, the Fugees rapper facing up to 20 years in prison for crimes including conspiracy and acting as an unregistered agent of a foreign government, is now claiming that one of his defense attorneys bungled closing arguments by using an artificial intelligence program, Lindsay Whitehurst reports for the Associated Press.

Michel argued that the use of the “experimental” generative AI program was one of a number of errors made by his “unqualified, unprepared and ineffectual” trial attorney before his conviction earlier this year, according to a motion for a new trial his new lawyers filed this week. During closing statements, Defense attorney David Kenner appeared to mix up key elements of the case and misattributed lyrics from another rapper’s song with those of his clients. Use of generative AI in the legal profession is in the early stages, but it could see much more widespread adoption as products improve.