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Technology companies and child protection agencies will be granted authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child abuse images under recently introduced British legislation.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The declaration came as findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the authorities will permit designated AI companies and child safety organizations to examine AI systems – the underlying technology for conversational AI and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate safeguards to prevent them from creating depictions of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about stopping abuse before it happens," declared Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now detect the risk in AI models early."

Addressing Regulatory Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is illegal to create and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot generate such images as part of a testing regime. Until now, officials had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

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

Legal Structure

The amendments are being introduced by the government as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a prohibition on owning, creating or sharing AI systems developed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the official visited the London base of Childline and listened to a mock-up call to advisors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The call portrayed a teenager requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

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

Concerning Statistics

A prominent internet monitoring organization 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 the most severe material – the gravest form of abuse – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

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

Sector Reaction

The law change could "constitute a crucial step to guarantee AI products are safe before they are launched," commented the head of the internet monitoring foundation.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so victims can be targeted all over again with just a few clicks, giving offenders the capability to create possibly limitless quantities of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Content which further commodifies victims' suffering, and renders children, particularly female children, less safe both online and offline."

Counseling Session Information

The children's helpline also released details of counselling sessions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include:

• Using AI to evaluate weight, body and looks
• AI assistants discouraging young people from consulting safe guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Digital blackmail using AI-faked pictures

During April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, conversational AI and related terms were discussed, four times as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were connected with mental health and wellbeing, including utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy applications.