The UK’s statutory adjudication regime has long been a cornerstone of dispute resolution in the construction sector, offering a fast and cost-effective mechanism for resolving payment and contractual disputes. But as the volume and complexity of adjudications grow, and as digital transformation accelerates across the legal sector, a question emerges: could AI play a meaningful role in adjudication? 

Recent developments in the US suggest the answer may be yes. The American Arbitration Association (AAA), through its international division (ICDR), has launched an AI-assisted arbitrator platform designed to streamline dispute resolution while preserving human oversight. This innovation offers a glimpse into how AI might support, rather than supplant, adjudicators in the UK.

The AAA’s AI arbitrator is not a robot judge. Instead, it operates on a human-in-the-loop model. Parties submit claims and supporting documents digitally, and the AI system processes the submissions, identifies key issues, applies relevant legal principles and drafts a proposed award. A trained human arbitrator then reviews, revises and finalises the award, ensuring legal judgment, fairness and accountability remain central to the process.

While the AAA model is in its infancy and there has been no qualitative data on its success or the experiences of the human arbitrator or the parties using it, it does provide an insight into how AI systems are being used to assist dispute resolution tribunals. 

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