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Technology,
Ethics/Professional Responsibility

Jul. 2, 2026

California's proposed AI ethics rules have a blind spot for agentic AI

The proposed California ethics rules would incorporate artificial intelligence into existing professional conduct rules, but questions remain whether those standards adequately address autonomous "agentic AI" systems that perform complex legal tasks with minimal human oversight.

Joe Stephens

Director of Legal Solutions
Steno

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California's proposed AI ethics rules have a blind spot for agentic AI
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In August 2025, the California Supreme Court instructed the State Bar's Standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC) to draft formal ethics rules for artificial intelligence. The Court specifically requested that COPRAC address "agentic AI" tools, which are systems capable of planning, reasoning and executing complex multi-step workflows with minimal human intervention. COPRAC initiated its process, opened a public comment period and ...

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