The Lawfare Podcast Scaling Laws: How AI Can Transform Local Criminal Justice, with Francis Shen
Jan 16, 2026
Francis Shen, Professor of Law and director of the Shen NeuroLaw Lab, delves into the intersection of AI and criminal justice. He discusses how AI can boost criminal investigations and enable precision sentencing, emphasizing the importance of better data for individualized justice. Shen raises ethical concerns about AI bias and the need for transparency in local government implementations. He also advocates for community engagement to address fears about AI's impact, arguing that it’s crucial for lawyers to shape AI's future in the legal system.
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From Law To Neuroscience
- Francis Shen recounts moving from law to neuroscience to understand trauma and behavior.
- He credits Steven Pinker and a MacArthur postdoc for launching his neurolaw career.
Brains And AI Share Information Processing
- Neuroscience gives law new tools to directly and indirectly change behavior.
- AI is another non-biological information processor that can augment or replace human processing.
LLMs Changed The Landscape
- Large language models are the major recent change since 2014 in AI's legal relevance.
- Earlier concerns were brain‑machine interfaces, robotics, and superintelligence.
