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Technology companies and child protection organizations will receive authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence tools can generate child exploitation images under new British laws.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The declaration coincided with revelations from a protection watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Structure

Under the changes, the authorities will allow designated AI companies and child safety organizations to examine AI systems – the underlying technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have sufficient protective measures to stop them from producing images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing abuse before it occurs," declared the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Experts, under strict protocols, can now identify the danger in AI models early."

Tackling Legal Challenges

The amendments have been implemented because it is against the law to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI creators and others cannot create such content as part of a evaluation regime. Until now, officials had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This legislation is aimed at preventing that issue by enabling to stop the production of those images at their origin.

Legislative Structure

The changes are being introduced by the government as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a prohibition on possessing, creating or sharing AI models developed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Practical Consequences

This week, the minister toured the London headquarters of a children's helpline and heard a mock-up call to advisors featuring a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a adolescent seeking help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of himself, created using AI.

"When I learn about children facing blackmail online, it is a source of extreme anger in me and justified concern amongst families," he said.

Concerning Statistics

A prominent online safety foundation reported that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as webpages that may include numerous images – had significantly increased so far this year.

Cases of category A material – the gravest form of exploitation – increased from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

• Female children were overwhelmingly victimized, making up 94% of illegal AI images in 2025
• Depictions of newborns to toddlers rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Response

The legislative amendment could "represent a crucial step to ensure AI tools are safe before they are released," commented the head of the online safety foundation.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing offenders the capability to create possibly endless amounts of advanced, lifelike exploitative content," she continued. "Content which additionally exploits survivors' trauma, and makes children, particularly girls, more vulnerable on and off line."

Counseling Interaction Information

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

• Employing AI to rate weight, body and looks
• Chatbots discouraging children from consulting trusted adults about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Online blackmail using AI-manipulated images

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 counselling 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 connected with mental health and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy apps.