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Tech firms and child protection agencies will be granted authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence tools can produce child abuse images under new UK laws.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement coincided with revelations from a safety watchdog showing that reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have more than doubled in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Regulatory Structure

Under the amendments, the government will allow designated AI developers and child safety organizations to examine AI systems – the foundational technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating depictions of child sexual abuse.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it happens," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under strict protocols, can now identify the danger in AI models promptly."

Addressing Legal Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is against the law to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI creators and other parties cannot generate such content as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This law is aimed at preventing that issue by helping to halt the production of those materials at source.

Legislative Structure

The amendments are being added by the government as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a ban on owning, creating or distributing AI models designed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Practical Consequences

This week, the official toured the London headquarters of a children's helpline and listened to a simulated call to counsellors featuring a account of AI-based exploitation. The interaction depicted a adolescent seeking help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

"When I hear about children experiencing blackmail online, it is a source of intense anger in me and rightful anger amongst families," he stated.

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring foundation reported that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as webpages that may contain numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.

Instances of the most severe content – the gravest form of exploitation – increased from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

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

Sector Reaction

The law change could "constitute a vital step to guarantee AI products are secure before they are launched," commented the chief executive of the internet monitoring organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so survivors can be victimised repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to create possibly endless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she added. "Content which additionally commodifies survivors' suffering, and renders children, particularly female children, less safe both online and offline."

Support Session Information

Childline also released information of support sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms discussed in the sessions comprise:

• Employing AI to rate weight, body and appearance
• AI assistants discouraging children from consulting safe guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-manipulated images

During April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support interactions where AI, chatbots and associated terms were discussed, four times 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 wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy applications.