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Tech firms and child safety agencies will be granted permission to assess whether AI tools can generate child exploitation images under new UK laws.

Significant Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement came as revelations from a protection watchdog showing that reports of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Legal Framework

Under the changes, the authorities will allow approved AI companies and child safety organizations to inspect AI models – the foundational technology for conversational AI and image generators – and verify they have sufficient safeguards to stop them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing abuse before it occurs," declared Kanishka Narayan, noting: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now detect the risk in AI models early."

Tackling Regulatory Obstacles

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

This law is aimed at preventing that problem by enabling to halt the production of those materials at source.

Legal Structure

The amendments are being added by the government as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a ban on owning, creating or distributing AI models developed to generate exploitative content.

Practical Consequences

This week, the minister visited the London headquarters of Childline and listened to a simulated call to counsellors involving a account of AI-based exploitation. The interaction portrayed a adolescent requesting help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

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

Alarming Statistics

A prominent online safety organization reported that cases of AI-generated exploitation content – such as online pages that may include numerous files – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Girls were predominantly victimized, making up 94% of illegal AI images in 2025
• Depictions of newborns to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "constitute a crucial step to ensure AI products are safe before they are released," commented the chief executive of the online safety foundation.

"Artificial intelligence systems have made it so victims can be victimised repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to create possibly limitless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Content which further exploits survivors' trauma, and makes young people, particularly female children, more vulnerable on and off line."

Counseling Session Data

Childline also released information of counselling interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to rate body size, physique and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging young people from talking to trusted guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Online extortion using AI-faked pictures

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support interactions where AI, conversational AI and associated topics were discussed, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Fifty percent of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with mental health and wellness, including utilizing AI assistants for support and AI therapy applications.