It’s undeniable the fact that Artificial Intelligence is becoming an increasingly familiar part of student life. It helps students understand difficult concepts and assists them with research and language learning. In recent years, it has opened up opportunities that were once difficult to imagine. Yet, as its capabilities grow, so does the potential for misuse.
Recent concerns in Malaysia over AI-generated sexual content allegedly involving students and teacher have brought an uncomfortable reality into focus, technology intended to make our lives easier can also be harmful to others.
The scale of the wider problem deserves attention. According to figures reported by Radio Televisyen Malaysia in June 2026, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had received 7,967 deepfake-related complaints by 15 June. This compared with 3,612 complaints throughout 2015 and 917 in 2024. Although complaints do not necessarily represent confirmed offences, the increase raises serious questions about whether public awareness and preventive measures are keeping pace with technological developments. (Source: https://berita.rtm.gov.my/nasional/senarai-berita-nasional/senarai-artikel/aduan-berkaitan-deepfake-melonjak-ketara/?)
When such incidents occur, calls to restrict technology are understandable. Schools and parents want to protect students, and policymakers have a responsibility to prevent abuse. However, we must be careful not to confuse restricting access to technology with addressing underlying problem.
Remember, educators can’t prepare students from an AI-driven future by simply teaching them to stay away from AI. They must teach them how to use it responsibly.
A BAN CANNOT REPLACE AN EDUCATION
AI is no longer a distant concept reserved for technology companies. Students can access generative AI tools through devices, often with little technical knowledge required.
The OECD’s PISA 2025 results offer a revealing picture of how deeply AI has entered students’ learning habits. In Malaysia, 56% of students reported using AI chatbots to help them at least once a week. Only 6& reported never or almost never using AI chatbots for any of the schoolwork tasks examined. (Source: https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/pisa-2025-results-volume-i-country-notes_2d4ff9ea-en/malaysia_d5dbce0d-en.html)
These figures suggest that AI is already part of the educational landscape. Attempting to prohibit it entirely may appear straightforward, but a school ban cannot prevent students from encountering these tools outside the classroom.
This does not mean schools should unrestricted AI use. Clear boundaries remain necessary, particularly when academic integrity, privacy and student safety are concerned. There must be consequences for using technology to harass, deceive or exploit others.
However, a blanket ban risks missing a more fundamental issue: students need to understand not only what technology can do, but also what they should never do with it.
We do not respond to the dangers of the internet by abandoning digital education. We teach students to recognise scams, protect their personal information and question suspicious content. AI should be approached with the same principle.
The answer is not unrestricted access, nor is it prohibition for its own sake. It is informed, responsible use.
DIGITAL LITERACY MUST GO BEYOND KNOWING HOW TO USE TECHNOLOGY
For years, digital literacy has often been associated with the ability to operate devices, navigate websites and use digital applications. Those skills remain important, but they are no longer sufficient.
The Department of Statistics Malaysia reported that 98.3% of individuals in the country used the internet in 2025. In a society where internet access is so widespread, digital safety cannot be treated as a specialised subject relevant only to technology enthusiasts. It is an essential life skill. (Source: https://www.dosm.gov.my/uploads/release-content/file_20260422202124.pdf?)
In an age when AI can generate convincing images, imitate voices and produce seemingly credible information, students must learn to question what they encounter online. They need to understand that realistic content is not necessarily authentic, that AI-generated answers can be inaccurate, and that digital actions can have consequences beyond a computer screen.
More importantly, digital literacy must include ethics.
Students should understand that using AI to create sexualised images of another person without consent is not harmless experimentation. Sharing manipulated images, impersonating others and spreading fabricated information can cause real damage to someone's dignity, reputation and well-being.
The absence of physical contact does not make digital abuse less serious.
These lessons should not be delivered only after an incident has occurred. They should form part of students' education before they encounter such situations.
Schools should introduce structured digital citizenship and AI literacy lessons that cover consent, privacy, misinformation, responsible prompting and the consequences of technological misuse. Students should also learn how to report harmful content, preserve relevant evidence safely and seek help without fear of humiliation or retaliation.
TEACHING STUDENTS TO THINK BEFORE THEY USE AI
Beyond academic integrity, the misuse of AI-generated sexualised images reveals a deeper problem: students must learn to consider the consequences of what they create, not simply what technology allows them to do.
AI tools can generate images, imitate faces and manipulate existing photographs with increasing ease. However, the ability to create something does not make it acceptable to do so. When students use these capabilities to produce sexualised images of others without their consent, they are not merely misusing a digital tool. They are disregarding another person's dignity, privacy and right to feel safe.
This is why digital literacy must go beyond teaching students how to operate technology or warning them against specific actions. Students need to develop the judgement to recognise when their actions could harm others and the understanding that technological capabilities do not override ethical responsibilities.
Simply telling students not to create such images may establish a rule, but it does not necessarily help them understand why that rule matters. Education must go further by addressing consent, empathy, privacy and the real consequences of digital abuse. Students should understand that an image generated through AI can cause genuine distress, damage someone's reputation and expose victims to humiliation, even when the image itself is fabricated.
Schools should therefore incorporate practical discussions of AI ethics and digital citizenship into their lessons. Students should be encouraged to question not only whether they can use a particular AI tool, but also whether they should, who might be harmed and what responsibilities they carry when creating or sharing digital content.
We cannot eliminate every risk by keeping technology out of students' hands. We can, however, equip them with the knowledge and judgement to make better decisions when they encounter it.
Nicson Yap Yong Ze (nicsonyap3101@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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