Tech firms and child safety agencies will receive authority to assess whether artificial intelligence tools can generate child abuse material under new British laws.
Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Content
The announcement came as findings from a safety watchdog showing that reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.
Updated Legal Framework
Under the amendments, the government will permit designated AI developers and child protection organizations to examine AI models – the foundational technology for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have adequate safeguards to prevent them from producing images of child exploitation.
"Ultimately about stopping abuse before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Specialists, under rigorous conditions, can now identify the danger in AI systems early."
Tackling Regulatory Obstacles
The amendments have been introduced because it is illegal to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI creators and other parties cannot generate such content as part of a testing regime. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before dealing with it.
This legislation is designed to preventing that issue by helping to halt the creation of those materials at their origin.
Legal Structure
The amendments are being added by the authorities as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a prohibition on possessing, producing or sharing AI models developed to create child sexual abuse material.
Practical Impact
This recently, the official visited the London headquarters of a children's helpline and heard a mock-up conversation to advisors involving a account of AI-based exploitation. The interaction depicted a teenager seeking help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of himself, constructed using AI.
"When I learn about children experiencing blackmail online, it is a cause of intense frustration in me and justified anger amongst parents," he said.
Concerning Statistics
A leading online safety foundation stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as online pages that may include numerous files – had more than doubled so far this year.
Instances of category A material – the most serious form of exploitation – increased from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.
- Female children were predominantly victimized, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
- Portrayals of infants to toddlers rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025
Industry Reaction
The law change could "represent a vital step to ensure AI tools are safe before they are launched," stated the head of the online safety organization.
"Artificial intelligence systems have made it so victims can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to make potentially endless quantities of advanced, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Material which additionally commodifies survivors' trauma, and renders children, especially girls, more vulnerable both online and offline."
Support Interaction Data
The children's helpline also published details of counselling sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms mentioned in the conversations comprise:
- Using AI to rate body size, physique and looks
- AI assistants discouraging young people from talking to trusted adults about harm
- Being bullied online with AI-generated material
- Digital blackmail using AI-manipulated images
During April and September this year, Childline conducted 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots and associated terms were mentioned, four times as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.
Half of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with mental health and wellbeing, encompassing using chatbots for assistance and AI therapy applications.
