🔗 Share this article

Tech firms and child protection agencies will be granted permission to evaluate whether AI tools can generate child exploitation images under new UK laws.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration coincided with findings from a protection watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the past year, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Legal Framework

Under the amendments, the government will permit designated AI companies and child safety organizations to examine AI systems – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have adequate safeguards to stop them from producing images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it happens," declared the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under rigorous conditions, can now identify the risk in AI systems promptly."

Addressing Legal Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is against the law to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot generate such images as part of a evaluation process. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before dealing with it.

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

Legal Framework

The changes are being introduced by the government as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a ban on owning, producing or sharing AI models designed to generate exploitative content.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the minister visited the London headquarters of a children's helpline and heard a simulated conversation to advisors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a explicit AI-generated image of himself, created using AI.

"When I hear about young people facing blackmail online, it is a source of intense anger in me and justified concern amongst families," he said.

Alarming Data

A prominent internet monitoring foundation reported that instances of AI-generated abuse content – such as webpages that may include multiple images – had significantly increased so far this year.

Cases of the most severe content – the gravest form of exploitation – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Girls were predominantly targeted, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI images in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to toddlers rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "constitute a vital step to ensure AI products are safe before they are released," stated the chief executive of the internet monitoring foundation.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing offenders the capability to make potentially limitless amounts of advanced, photorealistic exploitative content," she added. "Content which additionally exploits victims' suffering, and renders young people, particularly girls, less safe on and off line."

Counseling Session Information

The children's helpline also released information of counselling interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms mentioned in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to rate body size, physique and appearance
• Chatbots dissuading children from consulting safe adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-manipulated pictures

During April and September this year, Childline conducted 367 counselling interactions 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 psychological wellbeing and wellbeing, encompassing using AI assistants for support and AI therapy applications.