The directors of the Superior School of the Judges of the State of Tocantins (Esmat), Justice Marco Villas Boas and Ana Beatriz de Oliveira Pretto, were in the city of São Paulo on Monday, July 7th, to make the final arrangements for an MBA focused on the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Justice System.
The development of the pedagogical project of the MBA, under the coordination of Professor Ana Carla Bliacheriene and Professor Luciano Araújo, counted on the collaboration of the directors of Esmat, who have been working hard to provide the necessary support for USP to offer a course of this magnitude to the operators of the Brazilian Justice System, with a central focus on impact, the ethical limits and possibilities of AI in judicial processes, contributing to the qualified training of magistrates, civil servers and other legal operators.
The finalization of the project depended on negotiations with Professor Solange Mata Machado for her participation in the MBA as a lecturer. A specialist in neuroscience and innovation, Solange will teach classes on “Generative Brain-AI Interaction”, a cutting-edge topic that seeks to bring together the fields of technology and cognitive functioning in the judicial activity.
As well as collaborating on the MBA, Solange will also take part, together with Justice Villas Boas and Professor Ana Beatriz Pretto, in a scientific study on the effects of Generative Artificial Intelligence on the lives and work of judges and civil servers.
In addition, concerned about the impact of AI on neuroplasticity, Mata Machado and Villas Boas will write a scientific article on “The extended mind”, in search of a better understanding of this complex process, with the aim of offering appropriate guidelines for those who use or will use Generative AI as an assistant, so that Generative AI tools assist jurists in their functions, without degrading natural reasoning, nor offering risks to fundamental rights.
The initiative reinforces the commitment of Esmat, under the direction of Justice Marco Villas Boas, to innovation in the Brazilian Judiciary and to high-quality training, in line with the technological transformations that impact the law and the provision of justice.
The MBA project will be officially launched in 2025, expanding the portfolio of courses of Esmat and strengthening the role of the School as a national benchmark in judicial education, with strong academic links to centers of excellence such as USP.
With these final adjustments, the agreement between the institutions will be signed on July 31st at the office of the rector of USP in the city of São Paulo, followed by the publication of notices and registrations. The course will be taught in distance learning format, with the possibility of participation by judges, civil servers, members of the State Prosecution, lawyers, public defenders and other legal professionals.
