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Tech firms and child safety agencies will receive authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence tools can produce child exploitation images under new British laws.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Content

The announcement came as findings from a protection watchdog showing that reports 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 Legal Structure

Under the changes, the government will allow approved AI companies and child safety groups to examine AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient safeguards to prevent them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing exploitation before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Specialists, under rigorous protocols, can now detect the danger in AI systems early."

Tackling Regulatory Obstacles

The amendments have been introduced because it is illegal to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot create such content as part of a testing regime. Until now, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

This law is designed to averting that problem by helping to stop the creation of those images at source.

Legislative Framework

The changes are being introduced by the government as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a prohibition on owning, producing or sharing AI systems designed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Practical Consequences

This week, the minister visited the London headquarters of Childline and heard a mock-up conversation to advisors featuring a report of AI-based abuse. The call depicted a teenager seeking help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of himself, created using AI.

"When I hear about young people experiencing blackmail online, it is a cause of extreme frustration in me and rightful concern amongst parents," he stated.

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring organization reported that cases of AI-generated exploitation material – such as online pages that may include numerous images – had significantly increased so far this year.

Cases of the most severe material – the most serious form of abuse – increased from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Female children were overwhelmingly victimized, making up 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to two-year-olds rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Response

The legislative amendment could "constitute a crucial step to ensure AI products are safe before they are released," stated the head of the online safety foundation.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a simple actions, giving criminals the ability to create potentially limitless amounts of advanced, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she added. "Material which further commodifies victims' trauma, and renders children, especially female children, less safe both online and offline."

Counseling Interaction Data

Childline also published details of support sessions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related harms discussed in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to rate weight, physique and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging young people from consulting safe guardians about abuse
• Being bullied online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-manipulated images

During April and September this year, Childline conducted 367 counselling sessions where AI, chatbots and related terms were discussed, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to mental health and wellbeing, encompassing utilizing AI assistants for support and AI therapeutic apps.