KULAI, April 23 — A 16-year-old private school student is set to be charged today for allegedly using artificial intelligence (AI) to create and distribute lewd images of his schoolmates and alumni.

The Star reported that the teenager reportedly sourced photos of his victims from social media, manipulated them using AI tools, and sold the doctored images for RM2 each.

Authorities said as of mid-April, 29 police reports had been lodged against him, with victims as young as 12-years-old.

Investigations revealed that 38 individuals had been identified as victims in the case.

The English daily further stated that Deputy Communications Minister Teo Nie Ching stressed the urgent need for stricter digital safety protocols in schools, adding that the case underscored concerns over digital security and ethical AI usage.

The student was arrested on April 8 in Kulai and has been remanded to assist investigations under the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017 and the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998.

The school has since expelled the student and pledged full cooperation with authorities.

This incident has sparked discussions on the necessity of AI ethics education and the implementation of robust digital safety measures in educational institutions nationwide.