Christopher Duff, a 40-year-old resident of Sydney, faces charges for allegedly hacking the New South Wales court system. Prosecutors claim Duff utilized ChatGPT to generate Python scripts designed to bypass security and download nearly 9,000 confidential judicial documents from the NSW Online Registry.
The investigation began in 2025, leading to a search of Duff's home and the seizure of two laptops. Authorities allege that Duff continued to seek legal advice from the chatbot regarding how to respond to police questioning after his access to the registry was revoked. He currently denies all charges.
The defense argues that Duff frequently asked the AI whether his actions were illegal, suggesting he may have acted recklessly rather than with criminal intent. The case, which involves over 10,000 pages of evidence, has been adjourned for two weeks to allow for further review of the materials.
This case marks a precedent in Australian law regarding the use of generative AI as evidence of intent. Previous legal encounters with AI in Australia include unsuccessful labor commission complaints and a successful case where a university lecturer used ChatGPT to negotiate a contract change.
