County flags $55,000 district attorney software item to transcribe bodycam footage

Staff told supervisors the district attorney's office requested a full-time legal assistant and included an approximately $55,000 line item described as software that can read and transcribe body-worn camera footage. "It's an AI software that reads body cam footage... it basically creates your court notes, off of a body cam footage," staff said when explaining the item.

Supervisors questioned whether the $55,000 is a one-time purchase or a recurring contract and raised broader questions about AI's role in legal practice. One supervisor asked how much AI will play a role in court proceedings; staff and an agency official said attorneys currently are not permitted to rely on AI for legal research, that AI may be used for support or drafting, and that rules on ethical AI use are under discussion at the state level. "I'm on a committee at the state right now that's working on a rule petition to determine you know how attorneys should use AI ethically," an agency official said.