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Technology companies and child safety organizations will be granted permission to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can generate child exploitation images under new UK legislation.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The announcement coincided with findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated child sexual abuse material 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 authorities will permit approved AI developers and child safety groups to inspect AI models – the underlying technology for chatbots and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient safeguards to stop them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about preventing exploitation before it happens," declared the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Experts, under rigorous protocols, can now detect the danger in AI systems early."

Tackling Regulatory Challenges

The amendments have been introduced because it is illegal to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such content as part of a testing process. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This law is designed to preventing that issue by helping to halt the creation of those materials at source.

Legislative Structure

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a ban on owning, producing or distributing AI systems developed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This recently, the official toured the London base of Childline and listened to a simulated conversation to advisors featuring a report of AI-based exploitation. The interaction depicted a teenager requesting help after being blackmailed using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

"When I hear about children experiencing extortion online, it is a source of extreme frustration in me and justified concern amongst families," he said.

Alarming Data

A prominent internet monitoring foundation stated that cases of AI-generated exploitation material – such as webpages that may contain multiple images – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Female children were overwhelmingly 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 Response

The law change could "constitute a crucial step to guarantee AI tools are safe before they are released," stated the head of the internet monitoring organization.

"AI tools have enabled so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to make potentially limitless quantities of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Material which further commodifies survivors' suffering, and makes children, particularly female children, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Interaction Data

The children's helpline also published information of counselling interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks mentioned in the conversations include:

• Using AI to rate body size, body and appearance
• Chatbots dissuading young people from consulting trusted adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Digital extortion using AI-faked pictures

Between April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, conversational AI and related terms were discussed, significantly more as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellbeing, encompassing using chatbots for support and AI therapy apps.