The State Bar of California revealed that some multiple-choice questions on a problematic bar exam were created with the assistance of artificial intelligence. Following the February bar exam, which was marred by technical issues leading to incomplete exams and crashes, the legal licensing body plans to request score adjustments from the California Supreme Court for affected test-takers.

A presentation by the state bar disclosed that 23 scored questions were developed with AI by ACS Ventures, the bar’s psychometrician. While the executive director of the bar expressed confidence in the fairness and accuracy of these AI-generated questions, legal experts and academics have raised concerns about the use of non-lawyers and AI in drafting exam questions.

Katie Moran, an associate professor specializing in bar exam preparation, described the admission as staggering, emphasizing the implications of using AI to create and assess exam questions. Dean Andrew Perlman of Suffolk University Law School noted the unprecedented use of AI in this context, highlighting the importance of expert oversight in vetting AI-generated content.

Despite potential skepticism surrounding AI in the legal field, Perlman anticipates its continued growth and importance in ensuring the competence of future lawyers. As AI technology advances, he emphasizes the need for stringent quality control measures to uphold standards in legal assessments. Looking ahead, Perlman envisions a shift towards embracing AI tools as essential for legal professionals to maintain competency in a rapidly evolving landscape.