🔗 Share this article UK Tech Firms and Child Safety Agencies to Examine AI's Capability to Generate Abuse Images Technology companies and child safety organizations will be granted authority to assess whether AI tools can generate child abuse material under recently introduced UK laws. Significant Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Material The announcement came as revelations from a safety 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 amendments, the government will allow designated AI developers and child protection organizations to examine AI models – the foundational technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating depictions of child exploitation. "Ultimately about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now detect the danger in AI models promptly." Addressing Legal Challenges The changes have been introduced because it is illegal to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI creators and others cannot generate such content as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it. This law is designed to preventing that problem by enabling to stop the production of those materials at their origin. Legal Structure The amendments are being added by the authorities as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a prohibition on possessing, producing or sharing AI models developed to generate child sexual abuse material. Practical Consequences This week, the minister toured the London headquarters of Childline and heard a simulated conversation to advisors featuring a report of AI-based abuse. The call depicted a adolescent requesting help after being blackmailed using a sexualised AI-generated image of himself, created using AI. "When I hear about children experiencing blackmail online, it is a source of intense anger in me and rightful concern amongst parents," he said. Concerning Statistics A prominent internet monitoring foundation reported that cases of AI-generated abuse content – such as online pages that may include multiple images – had significantly increased so far this year. Instances of the most severe content – the most serious form of abuse – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086. Girls were overwhelmingly targeted, making up 94% of illegal AI images 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 crucial step to guarantee AI tools are safe before they are released," commented the chief executive of the online safety foundation. "AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a simple actions, providing offenders the capability to make potentially endless amounts of advanced, photorealistic exploitative content," she continued. "Content which additionally commodifies survivors' trauma, and renders children, especially girls, less safe on and off line." Counseling Session Data Childline also published information of support sessions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include: Employing AI to evaluate weight, physique and appearance Chatbots dissuading children from consulting trusted guardians about abuse Facing harassment online with AI-generated material Digital blackmail using AI-manipulated pictures During April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, conversational AI and associated topics were discussed, four times as many as in the same period last year. Half of the references of AI in the 2025 sessions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellness, encompassing using chatbots for assistance and AI therapy applications.