The disturbing news from a Malaysian school, where a student allegedly used artificial intelligence to create and distribute explicit deepfakes of schoolmates, is a stark wake-up call. While shocking, this incident is sadly not isolated. Reports from South Korea show deepfake-related digital sex crimes more than tripled last year, overwhelmingly targeting young people – a chilling indicator of a rapidly escalating global problem fueled by increasingly powerful and accessible AI.

We cannot simply ban these technologies; AI is becoming deeply integrated into our world, and its capabilities are expanding daily. The critical issue is not access, but understanding. Are our young people, who are readily adopting these tools, truly aware of the profound harm they can inflict? Do they grasp the ethical implications and potential legal consequences of manipulating someone’s image, particularly for creating non-consensual explicit content?

This situation demands a societal response as serious and sustained as our long-standing campaigns against smoking, drug abuse, or bullying. It’s not enough to simply react after harm is done. We urgently need comprehensive educational initiatives within schools to teach the responsible and ethical use of AI. Young people must understand how easily these tools can be misused and the devastating impact such actions have on the lives and well-being of their peers.
Furthermore, the responsibility extends beyond the classroom. Parents need to be more vigilant and engaged in monitoring their children’s online activities and AI usage. Perhaps this incident also forces us all to reconsider the images we share so freely on social media, now that they can be easily downloaded and weaponised through AI with malicious intent.

Finally, our legal and regulatory frameworks must evolve rapidly. While existing laws are being applied, we need clearer, specific measures to address the unique challenges posed by AI misuse, offering stronger protections, especially for minors who are disproportionately targeted.
Such incidents are painful reminders that powerful tools can be used irresponsibly. As AI continues its advance, proactive education, increased parental awareness, and updated regulations are not just options – they are essential to safeguarding our communities, particularly our children, from this emerging digital threat