California Admits AI Was Used to Write Bar Exam Plagued by Problems – Casson Living – World News, Breaking News, International News

Unexpected Revelation: California Bar Exam Questions Crafted with AI Assistance

In a startling development, The Los Angeles Times has uncovered that the California bar exam, a critical hurdle for future attorneys in the state, was partially formulated with the help of a large language model. This admission came from the State Bar of California on Monday, following a wave of complaints regarding the quality of exam questions and the numerous technical issues encountered during the February testing period.

According to the State Bar, 23 of the multiple-choice questions were created by ACS Ventures, utilizing AI technology, while an additional 48 questions were sourced from prior first-year law student exams. This shocking revelation has ignited significant backlash among legal experts, with UC Irvine Law School’s Mary Basick expressing her astonishment at the decision to involve non-lawyers and AI in crafting such important assessment materials.

Katie Moran from the University of San Francisco School of Law referred to this as a “staggering admission,” noting that the same firm responsible for generating the questions was also tasked with approving them for the exam. Test-takers reported being abruptly logged out of the online examination platform, encountering typographical errors, inconsistencies, and even bizarre questions throughout the testing experience.

Despite these alarming setbacks and the public acknowledgment of AI involvement, a spokesperson for the State Bar asserted that the questions were subjected to review by validation panels and experts in the field. Meanwhile, the California Supreme Court, which oversees the State Bar, claimed it was unaware of the AI’s role in the question development until recently, despite earlier instructions to investigate AI options for enhancing the testing process.

The hurried creation of the exam questions and the last-minute distribution of practice materials riddled with mistakes have raised concerns surrounding the decision-making speed and quality. The State Bar’s attempts to cut costs—such as moving to a hybrid testing format and outsourcing certain functions—have resulted in a staggering $22 million deficit and legal disputes from students who faced these flawed examinations.

In response to the uproar, the State Bar has vowed to consider adjustments to test scores and explore possible remedies. However, it remains to be seen whether the exam questions will be released to the public or if the National Conference of Bar Examiners will be reinstated in the process. This situation serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of prioritizing cost savings over the integrity and thoroughness of examination development.