WorkJuly 21, 2026via The Decoder
An AI system helped Pakistani judges clear massive backlogs at $38.50 return per dollar invested
Why it matters
Real-world AI deployment in judicial systems reveals a critical insight: AI tools don't drive productivity gains on their own. Human training is the multiplier. This matters for any leader betting on AI-as-productivity-tool without investing in change management.
Key signals
- Field experiment: 1,559 Pakistani judges
- Case resolution boost: 6.3% (with training)
- ROI: $38.50 per dollar invested
- Critical finding: training required—effect 'mostly disappeared' without hands-on instruction
- Tool: JudgeGPT AI assistant
- Use case: judicial case backlog reduction
The hook
$38.50. That's the ROI per dollar spent on AI training for Pakistani judges—but only if they actually got hands-on instruction.
A field experiment with 1,559 Pakistani judges found that the AI assistant JudgeGPT boosted case resolution by 6.3 percent. The catch: only judges who got hands-on training saw gains. Without it, the effect mostly disappeared. The researchers estimate a return of up to $38.50 per dollar invested.