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Tech firms and child protection agencies will receive authority to assess whether AI tools can produce child exploitation material under new British legislation.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement coincided with revelations from a protection monitoring body showing that reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Structure

Under the changes, the government will permit designated AI developers and child protection organizations to inspect AI models – the foundational technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have sufficient protective measures to prevent them from producing images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated Kanishka Narayan, noting: "Specialists, under rigorous protocols, can now detect the risk in AI models promptly."

Addressing Legal Challenges

The changes have been introduced because it is illegal to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI creators and others cannot generate such content as part of a testing regime. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it.

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

Legislative Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a ban on possessing, creating or distributing AI models designed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This recently, the minister toured the London base of Childline and heard a mock-up call to advisors featuring a report of AI-based exploitation. The interaction portrayed a teenager requesting help after being blackmailed using a sexualised deepfake of himself, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about young people facing extortion online, it is a cause of extreme frustration in me and justified concern amongst parents," he stated.

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring organization stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as online pages that may include multiple files – had more than doubled so far this year.

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

• Girls were predominantly victimized, making up 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

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 organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have made it so victims can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, providing offenders the capability to create possibly endless quantities of advanced, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she added. "Material which further exploits victims' trauma, and renders children, especially girls, less safe on and off line."

Counseling Session Data

The children's helpline also released information of counselling interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms discussed in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to evaluate weight, physique and appearance
• Chatbots dissuading children from consulting trusted adults about harm
• Being bullied online with AI-generated content
• Online blackmail using AI-faked images

During April and September this year, the helpline conducted 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots and associated topics were discussed, four times as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Half of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellness, including utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapy applications.