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Tech firms and child safety organizations will be granted permission to assess whether artificial intelligence systems can generate child abuse material under new UK laws.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement coincided with findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have increased dramatically in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Regulatory Framework

Under the changes, the authorities will allow approved AI developers and child safety groups to inspect AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have sufficient safeguards to prevent them from creating depictions of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about preventing abuse before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, noting: "Experts, under rigorous conditions, can now identify the risk in AI models early."

Addressing Legal Challenges

The amendments have been implemented because it is illegal to create and own CSAM, meaning that AI creators and others cannot create such content as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This law is designed to preventing that problem by enabling to halt the creation of those images at source.

Legislative Structure

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a prohibition on owning, producing or distributing AI models designed to generate exploitative content.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the minister visited the London base of Childline and heard a simulated call to counsellors involving a report of AI-based abuse. The call depicted a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

"When I hear about young people facing blackmail online, it is a cause of intense frustration in me and rightful concern amongst parents," he said.

Concerning Statistics

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

Instances of category A content – the gravest form of abuse – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Female children were overwhelmingly targeted, making up 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to two-year-olds increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The law change could "constitute a vital step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are released," commented the chief executive of the online safety foundation.

"AI tools have made it so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to make possibly limitless quantities of advanced, photorealistic exploitative content," she continued. "Material which additionally commodifies survivors' trauma, and renders young people, particularly female children, less safe on and off line."

Counseling Interaction Information

The children's helpline also released information of support interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions include:

• Using AI to evaluate weight, body and looks
• AI assistants dissuading young people 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, the helpline conducted 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots and associated topics were mentioned, four times as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to mental health and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapy apps.