The Twelve Minute Civil Litigator

“Working with Digital Evidence in the Era of AI”

William Elwood’s presentation, "Working with Digital Evidence in the Era of AI," was delivered at the Law Society of Ontario's Twelve Minute Civil Litigator 2024. He explored how AI introduces significant challenges in digital evidence authentication, with tools like deepfakes and social media manipulation eroding trust in the veracity of digital media. By addressing metadata comparison, structural integrity analysis, and new developments such as the C2PA protocol, William highlighted the current and future hurdles legal professionals face in validating digital evidence.

However, he also emphasized the positive side of AI. William discussed how AI-driven tools can accelerate forensic investigations by automating metadata analysis, improving provenance validation, and enabling faster legal review processes. He demonstrated how AI is helping legal professionals manage increasingly complex datasets, making evidence analysis more efficient while preserving authenticity and ensuring a robust chain of custody.