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Technology companies and child protection organizations will receive authority to evaluate whether AI tools can generate child abuse images under recently introduced UK laws.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Harmful Content

The announcement coincided with findings from a protection watchdog showing that reports of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the last twelve months, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Framework

Under the changes, the authorities will allow approved AI developers and child safety groups to inspect AI systems – the underlying technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to stop them from creating images of child sexual abuse.

"Ultimately about preventing abuse before it happens," stated the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Specialists, under strict protocols, can now detect the risk in AI models early."

Addressing Legal Challenges

The amendments have been introduced because it is against the law to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot create such images as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

This law is aimed at averting that problem by helping to stop the creation of those images 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 distributing AI models designed to create exploitative content.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the official visited the London headquarters of Childline and listened to a mock-up call to advisors involving a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a teenager seeking help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about children facing blackmail online, it is a source of extreme anger in me and rightful anger amongst parents," he stated.

Alarming Statistics

A prominent internet monitoring foundation stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as online pages that may include numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.

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

• Female children were predominantly victimized, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The law change could "represent a crucial step to guarantee AI tools are secure before they are launched," commented the chief executive of the online safety organization.

"AI tools have enabled so victims can be targeted all over again with just a few clicks, providing offenders the capability to create possibly limitless quantities of advanced, photorealistic exploitative content," she continued. "Material which additionally exploits survivors' suffering, and makes young people, especially girls, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Interaction Data

Childline also published details of counselling interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to evaluate weight, body and looks
• AI assistants dissuading children from consulting safe adults about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Online extortion using AI-manipulated pictures

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

Fifty percent of the references of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to mental health and wellbeing, encompassing using chatbots for assistance and AI therapeutic applications.