🔗 Share this article

Tech firms and child safety organizations will receive permission to assess whether AI systems can produce child exploitation material under new UK laws.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Content

The declaration came as findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the authorities will allow designated AI companies and child protection organizations to examine AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to stop them from producing images of child sexual abuse.

"Fundamentally about preventing exploitation before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Experts, under rigorous protocols, can now identify the danger in AI models promptly."

Tackling Legal Challenges

The changes have been implemented because it is illegal to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot generate such content as part of a evaluation regime. Until now, officials had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

This legislation is aimed at averting that issue by enabling to stop the production of those materials at source.

Legislative Structure

The changes are being introduced by the authorities as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a prohibition on possessing, creating or distributing AI systems designed to create exploitative content.

Real-World Impact

This week, the official toured the London headquarters of Childline and listened to a mock-up conversation to advisors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The call depicted a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised deepfake of himself, created using AI.

"When I learn about young people experiencing extortion online, it is a cause of extreme frustration in me and justified concern amongst parents," he said.

Alarming Data

A prominent online safety organization reported that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as webpages that may include multiple files – had more than doubled so far this year.

Instances of category A content – the most serious form of exploitation – increased from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Girls were predominantly victimized, accounting for 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to two-year-olds rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "constitute a vital step to guarantee AI tools are secure before they are released," commented the head of the internet monitoring organization.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing criminals the ability to create potentially endless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike exploitative content," she continued. "Content which further commodifies victims' trauma, and makes young people, particularly girls, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Counseling Session Information

Childline also released details of support interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions include:

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, body and looks
• Chatbots discouraging young people from talking to trusted guardians about harm
• Being bullied online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-faked images

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots and associated topics were discussed, significantly more as many as in the same period last year.

Fifty percent of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to psychological wellbeing and wellbeing, encompassing using AI assistants for support and AI therapy apps.