Five eighth-grade students were expelled March 8 from the Beverly Hills Unified School District for being involved in a scandal in which they used artificial intelligence to generate nude photos of their peers.

The action came after a special meeting of the Beverly Hills Unified School District board March 6 when it voted to expel the five most “egregiously involved” students, according to a board statement.

School officials said Thursday that 16 eighth-grade students had been victimized by the photo scandal.

Officials from Beverly Vista Middle School first found the fake nude photos in February after learning such had been generated by superimposing students’ faces onto AI-generated nude bodies, they said.

A statement released by the district, also, Thursday, said that, although further details about disciplinary action could not be revealed, the case would be taken seriously.

“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,” Supt. Michael Bregy said in a statement.

Mr. Bregy said that the incident had been contained within 24 hours after officials learned of the photos.

He also said in the statement that although children may make mistakes, the district will hold them accountable.

“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,” Mr. Bregy said.

The Beverly Hills Police Department will be continuing its investigation of the case.

City News Service contributed to this article.