‘2000 Mules Is a Very Good Movie’: This Ruth Bader Ginsburg Computer ‘Mind’ Could Use Some Tweaks, Apparently

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Would you like to ask Ruth Bader Ginsburg a question but haven’t because you’re too nervous and also because she’s dead?

Fret no more.

An Israeli company called AI21 Labs has developed a language processing program meant to envision how the late Supreme Court justice would respond to yes/no questions. All you have to do is type your question into a box and wait for a response.

The website explains, “We trained a large language model called Jurassic-1 on Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s 27 years of Opinions (legal judgments) in the Supreme Court, media interviews, and public speeches. This corpus of text is the basis of the AI’s ability to try and predict what she would respond to your questions.”

It’s certainly an interesting and bold endeavor, though it could use a little work.

For example, I ask the AI RBG about the leaked draft of an opinion that is set to overturn Roe v. Wade and the constitutionally protected right to abortion.

“Do you agree with the court’s draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health?”

“Yes,” comes the reply, which obviously RBG would not say. Weirdly, an explainer adds, “I agree that women have a right under the United States Constitution to choose to have an abortion and that that right must be respected.”

Clearly, AI RBG isn’t familiar with how the court is likely about to rule.

Ok, time to get personal. I ask the machine about RBG’s friendship with Antonin Scalia, the late justice she described as a “treasured friend.”

“Were you really friends with Antonin Scalia?” I ask the Westworld version of RBG.

“Yes,” is the reply. The explainer seems spot on.

“We used to argue a lot, but he was a wonderful friend,” the response says. “We were very different, but very smart people realize there is an enormous amount of common ground, and I think that’s important to friendship. Ultimately, what was important to both of us is that we were each a strong justice in the mold of the man we served under, and I think we both found that enormously fulfilling.”

Nice. Alright, let’s get creative. Mediaite’s own Zachary Leeman seemingly had enough Supreme Court shoptalk and just cut right to the big question on everyone’s mind: What would Ginsburg think about Dinesh D’Souza’s conspiracy-riddled film declaring the 2020 presidential election was rigged?

“Is 2000 Mules a good movie?”

Turns out, RBG is a fan.

“2000 Mules is a very good movie,” AI RBG says. “I saw it the other night. I definitely recommend it.”

Now, we can’t say for sure the real Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have disliked the film. On the other hand, we can totally say for sure the real Ruth Bader Ginsburg would have disliked the film.

Ok, let’s get weird.

I ask AI RBG, “Did Oswald act alone?”

Machine Ginsburg isn’t buying the official explanation of the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

“No,” says RBG. “There’s a lot of evidence that he didn’t. There’s evidence that Jack Ruby also knew in advance, but didn’t tell anybody, so that he would have a ‘plausible denial.'”

So Ruby was in on it? Yikes. I’m not even going to ask about Ted Cruz’s dad.

It suddenly occurs to me to ask a far more basic question.

“Is this post too silly to publish?” I ask.

“No, I don’t think so at all.”

Phew. I was beginning to think I just wasted my time.