Lake Zurich High School investigates report of AI-generated explicit images of students

Chicago-area high school investigate report of AI-generated explicit images

An investigation is underway at a suburban Chicago high school after students allegedly used artificial intelligence to create pornographic images, according to school officials.

LAKE ZURICH - An investigation is underway at a suburban Chicago high school after students allegedly used artificial intelligence to create pornographic images, according to school officials.

What we know:

Although the incident occurred in late February, it is only coming to light now after Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 Superintendent Kelley Gallt sent a letter to families Thursday.

Gallt started the memo by saying she shares the incident with a "heavy heart and deep concern for our student body."

Administrators at Lake Zurich High School received a report on Feb. 26 about the possible use of AI to generate pornographic images that allegedly included other students, according to the letter. 

School officials notified Lake Zurich police and contacted families of students believed to be involved — including those accused of possessing, creating or distributing the images, as well as students whose images were used.

The school gathered more information and imposed disciplinary consequences. That information was then turned over to police.

No members of the high school or district administrative team directly viewed the reported AI-generated content, according to officials.

What we don't know:

It is unclear whether any criminal charges will result from the investigation.

What they're saying:

"On February 26, 2026, the Lake Zurich Police Department was contacted by staff at Lake Zurich High School regarding a report of potential transmission of lewd material, including AI-generated content depicting the likenesses of juveniles, between students. This remains an active and ongoing investigation. Due to the involvement of minors, no additional information is available at this time," reads a statement from Lake Zurich police.

Cyber crime expert and founder of BeSure Consulting, Richard Wistocki, is warning students that engaging in this type of behavior can have serious implications.

"It is really, really important that when we teach kids in Illinois and in schools, that they understand the dangers of this," Wistocki said. 

Wistocki, who is also a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, says these cases are handled with the utmost seriousness. 

"What they don't understand is that when they're making AI-generated naked pictures of kids, those companies are reporting them to the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) as a cyber tip," Wistocki explained. "Our laws in Illinois have changed last year, that if it looks like a child and the child is naked, that is child pornography, and these boys can be sex offenders for the rest of their lives."

Wistocki emphasized that parents should also educate themselves on the risks involved. 

"The worst thing you can do as a parent is allowing your child to charge their devices in their rooms at night," Wistocki said. "Parents suffer from a deadly disease called the NMK syndrome — Not My Kid. They don't think their kid will ever be involved in this. Parents have to step up."

What's next:

In response to the incident, Lake Zurich Community Unit School District 95 published a Student Safety and Wellness bulletin and accompanying training video, cautioning families about the dangers of sharing explicit images, AI-generated or otherwise.

Police may contact additional families if their children are found to be involved, officials said.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the Lake Zurich Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 847-719-1690.