UK Tech Companies and Child Safety Agencies to Examine AI's Capability to Create Exploitation Images

Tech firms and child protection organizations will be granted authority to assess whether artificial intelligence systems can generate child abuse images under new UK legislation.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Content

The declaration coincided with findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have increased dramatically in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Framework

Under the changes, the authorities will allow approved AI developers and child protection organizations to inspect AI models – the foundational technology for conversational AI and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient safeguards to prevent them from creating depictions of child sexual abuse.

"Ultimately about preventing abuse before it happens," declared Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Experts, under rigorous protocols, can now identify the danger in AI systems promptly."

Tackling Legal Obstacles

The amendments have been implemented because it is against the law to create and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such content as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This legislation is designed to preventing that issue by enabling to halt the creation of those materials at their origin.

Legal Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the government as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a prohibition on owning, producing or sharing AI models designed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

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 exploitation. The call portrayed a adolescent requesting help after being blackmailed using a sexualised AI-generated image of himself, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about young people experiencing extortion online, it is a source of extreme anger in me and rightful anger amongst families," he stated.

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring organization reported that cases of AI-generated exploitation content – such as webpages that may include multiple files – had more than doubled so far this year.

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

• Girls were overwhelmingly victimized, making up 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Depictions of newborns to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Reaction

The legislative amendment could "represent a vital step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are launched," stated the head of the online safety foundation.

"AI tools have enabled so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to create potentially limitless amounts of advanced, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she added. "Content which additionally commodifies victims' suffering, and renders children, especially female children, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Session Data

The children's helpline also published details of support interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks mentioned in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, body and looks
• AI assistants dissuading children from talking to trusted adults about abuse
• Being bullied online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-faked images

Between April and September this year, Childline conducted 367 support interactions where AI, chatbots and associated terms 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 connected with mental health and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy applications.