ChatGPT-using lawyer punished for citing fake testimony from made-up witnesses

The New Mexico Supreme Court fined lawyer Stephen Aarons $5,000 and held him in contempt for including AI-generated false testimony and fabricated witnesses in a murder conviction appeal. Aarons admitted he did not know the software could hallucinate facts, highlighting the legal risks of using generative AI tools without manual verification. This ruling reinforces the professional responsibility of attorneys to ensure the accuracy of all court filings, regardless of the technology used to draft them.