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A photo showing a Texas high school on fire that sparked concern among the community was generated by artificial intelligence, local authorities said -- and experts are now emphasizing the necessity for schools to be "better prepared" to address the potential threats of AI-generated images. Officials in Bellaire, Texas, emphasized that there was no fire at Bellaire High School, although the fire department was called to the school on Monday when a fire alarm went off. "We want to clarify that there is NO fire at Bellaire High School," the Bellaire Police Department said in a statement on Monday. The incident occurred on Monday morning just as students were arriving to Bellaire High School for the day when the "fire alarm sounded due to what was later determined to be a freon leak," the Houston Independent School District said in a statement to ABC News. Despite fire officials determining the issue to be a refrigerant leak, police said later the fake image began spreading online, causing concern from parents and members of the community. "A fake social media post with an AI-generated image showing the school on fire is circulating online," police said. "Please know that all students and staff are safe. We appreciate everyone's concern and ask you help stop the spread of misinformation by sharing this official update." Neither police or the school district would confirm when the image began circulating online. Threat of AI-generated images to schools While there have been similar instances in the past -- like when verified accounts shared fake images falsely claiming there was an explosion at the Pentagon in 2023 -- government and non-government organizations, including schools, are "behind the curve when it comes to dealing with AI-generated or AI-enhanced threats," according to John Cohen, ABC News contributor and former acting undersecretary at the Department of Homeland Security. "Just like schools are prepared for active shooter situations and, in the past, prepared students for bomb threats and fire, unfortunately in the age we are living in, schools also have to be prepared to deal with AI-generated content that is meant to disrupt activities or cause problems within the school environment," Cohen said. Jeffrey McGregor, the CEO of Truepic, a software company that helps businesses authenticate visuals and block AI manipulation, said he is "deeply concerned" about the potential threats AI could pose to schools. "You have the most powerful AI in the hands of every single internet-connected human, including high school students. The ability to generate completely synthetic and highly realistic images is now immediately available to everyone," McGregor told ABC News. How can schools, parents help mitigate AI threats If schools are able to maintain awareness of how technology can be used to "sow discord," develop plans with local law enforcement and to regularly practice those plans, Cohen said schools will be able to "rapidly counteract" these AI-generated threats and "prevent panic." While Cohen emphasized the importance of government and non-government organizations, including schools, needing to "do a better job being prepared" on the potential threats from AI, he also recommended students and parents always be skeptical about content until it can be verified by a trusted source. Until there is some kind of an internet-wide solution where consumers can immediately know whether content is real or AI-generated, McGregor had one piece of advice: "No one should believe what they see anymore." "Until technology is able to catch up a bit and provide some of these indicators as to the trustworthiness of imagery, people should flat-out not believe the photos and videos that they are looking at," McGregor said.
