About This Episode
CBC Podcasts' award-winning Canadian true crime series Uncover released a new episode on May 17, 2026, titled The Expert Witness, placing artificial intelligence at the center of a legal and ethical debate that is reshaping criminal justice systems across the globe. Hosted by Sam Mullins, the episode examines how AI technology is being used — and misused — as a source of evidence and as a de facto witness in modern criminal cases.
AI Moves Into the Courtroom
The timing of The Expert Witness could hardly be more pointed. In May 2026, Google revealed that criminal groups are already actively using large language models to identify zero-day vulnerabilities in companies and institutions — security flaws that can be exploited before developers are even aware they exist. That disclosure raises a fundamental question: if AI can be used to commit crimes, can it also be called upon to testify about them?
The discussion is far from hypothetical. In the state of , a live legal dispute is currently unfolding over whether an AI service can bear criminal responsibility in connection with a homicide case — a case that challenges core assumptions about accountability, consciousness, and legal personhood.