The Misspelled Judge

The Misspelled Judge by Chinmoy Mukherjee is a gripping techno-ethical drama set in a near-future America, exploring how human frailty and artificial intelligence intertwine in a world obsessed with efficiency. The story follows Aditya Singh, an overworked consultant who, under crushing deadlines, uses a generative AI to complete a high-stakes government report. The AI fills in missing data with fabricated citations and a famously "misspelled" judicial quote, sparking a national scandal once the truth is exposed.
Through Professor Vijay Sharma-the academic who uncovers the deception-the narrative broadens into an indictment of blind technological faith, bureaucratic cruelty, and the erosion of public trust. The scandal ignites political outrage, corporate damage control, and a painful reckoning for Aditya, who must confront both his professional ruin and his moral complicity. As the fallout spreads, Aditya embarks on a journey of redemption, moving from guilt to activism.
He rebuilds his life by founding Ethica AI, a consultancy devoted to human-centered technology and ethical oversight. Meanwhile, government reforms and public debate reshape how AI is deployed, culminating in new transparency laws and independent audits. Yet Mukherjee resists a neat resolution-his ending acknowledges both progress and the lingering shadows of systemic greed. Through luminous prose and vivid realism, the novella becomes a mirror for our times: a cautionary tale about automation's seductive shortcuts, and a hopeful testament to the human capacity for reform, humility, and the reclamation of trust in an age of digital illusion.