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

Significant Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Content

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

New Legal Structure

Under the amendments, the government will allow designated AI companies and child protection organizations to examine AI models – the foundational systems for conversational AI and image generators – and verify they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from producing depictions of child sexual abuse.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Experts, under rigorous conditions, can now identify the danger in AI systems promptly."

Tackling Legal Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is illegal to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot create such images as part of a testing process. Previously, officials had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

This law is aimed at averting that problem by enabling to stop the creation of those materials at source.

Legal Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the government as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a prohibition on owning, creating or sharing AI models developed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Impact

This week, the official toured the London base of Childline and heard a mock-up conversation to advisors involving a account of AI-based exploitation. The call portrayed a teenager seeking help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

"When I hear about children facing extortion online, it is a source of intense anger in me and justified concern amongst parents," he stated.

Alarming Statistics

A leading online safety foundation reported that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as online pages that may contain numerous files – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Girls were overwhelmingly victimized, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Depictions of newborns to two-year-olds increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Response

The legislative amendment could "represent a vital step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are launched," commented the head of the internet monitoring organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to make possibly endless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike exploitative content," she added. "Material which additionally exploits survivors' trauma, and renders young people, particularly girls, more vulnerable on and off line."

Counseling Interaction Data

Childline also released information of counselling sessions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related harms mentioned in the conversations comprise:

• Using AI to evaluate body size, physique and appearance
• AI assistants discouraging young people from talking to trusted adults about abuse
• Being bullied online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-faked pictures

During April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 support interactions where AI, chatbots and associated topics were mentioned, four times as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with mental health and wellbeing, including utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapeutic apps.