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BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) - Beverly Hills school officials Thursday said that 16 eighth-grade students were victimized by fake nude photos of students at a middle school that were apparently generated using artificial intelligence.
The Beverly Hills Unified School District also cited five "egregiously involved eighth-grade students" in a statement Thursday evening, and the district's board of education voted to expel those five students at a special meeting Wednesday night, the Los Angeles Times reported.
The BHUSD "has officially completed all required actions pertaining to the incident," district officials said Thursday, though they noted that the Beverly Hills Police Department's investigation is ongoing.
The photos were first detected by officials at Beverly Vista Middle School, 200 S. Elm Drive, last month. Administrators were informed by students about "the creation and dissemination by other students of artificial intelligence generated (AI) images that superimposed the faces of our students onto AI-generated nude bodies," officials said.
The district's statement Thursday said the incident has prompted discussions on the ethical use of technology, including AI.
"In adherence with California Education Code, we are limited in the details we can share about disciplinary actions, but it is crucial for our community to understand the seriousness with which we approach such matters," Superintendent Michael Bregy wrote. "Significant in this matter was the containment within twenty-four hours of the isolated incident regarding the involved parties. ... Furthermore, we recognize that kids are still learning and growing, and mistakes are part of this process. However, accountability is essential, and appropriate measures have been taken."