An investigation is underway after the discovery of fake nude photos of students at a Beverly Hills, California, middle school that appear to have been generated using artificial intelligence.

Students informed officials at Beverly Vista Middle School last week 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,” according to a message sent to parents and staff.

The exact number of photos and the extent of student involvement remained unclear, as did the method of circulation, according to the Beverly Hills Unified School District.

“We will be looking at the appropriate discipline so that students understand there are consequences and accountability for their actions,” said Superintendent Michael Bregy, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.

A student also told the news station that the incident left many of them in fear.

“It is very scary people can’t feel safe to come to school,” said the student, who preferred to remain anonymous. “They are scared people will show off explicit photos of them.”

Students who were targeted have been provided with counseling services, the district said.

The latest count indicates about 750 students are enrolled in the school, which is the sole school for sixth to eighth grades in the Beverly Hills Unified School District.

The district also warned about the potential consequences.

“We are prepared to implement the most severe disciplinary actions allowable under California Education Code,“ the district said. ”Any student found to be creating, disseminating, or in possession of AI-generated images of this nature will face disciplinary actions, including, but not limited to, a recommendation for expulsion.”

Some artificial intelligence experts expressed their concern about such technology. AI tools can create lifelike deepfakes in a matter of seconds, with no more than a smartphone.

“You used to need 100 people to create something fake. Today you need one, and soon that person will be able to create 100 [in the same amount of time],” Swear’s CEO Jason Crawforth told Los Angeles Times. Swear is a Boise, Idaho, company whose technology helps to ensure the authenticity of video and audio.

“We’ve gone from the information age to the disinformation age,” Mr. Crawforth said.

City News Service contributed to this report.