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Technology companies and child protection organizations will be granted permission to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can generate child abuse material under new British legislation.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement coincided with revelations from a protection 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.

Updated Regulatory Structure

Under the changes, the authorities will permit approved AI companies and child protection groups to inspect AI models – the underlying technology for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate safeguards to stop them from creating images of child sexual abuse.

"Ultimately about preventing exploitation before it occurs," declared the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Specialists, under rigorous protocols, can now identify the risk in AI systems early."

Tackling Regulatory Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is against the law to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such images as part of a evaluation process. Until now, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before dealing with it.

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

Legal Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the government as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a prohibition on owning, producing or sharing AI systems designed to generate exploitative content.

Real-World Impact

This week, the minister visited the London base of Childline and heard a simulated conversation to advisors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised deepfake of himself, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about children experiencing blackmail online, it is a cause of intense frustration in me and justified concern amongst parents," he said.

Alarming Data

A leading online safety organization stated that instances of AI-generated exploitation content – such as webpages that may contain numerous files – had more than doubled so far this year.

Cases of the most severe material – the most serious form of abuse – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Female children were predominantly targeted, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of newborns to toddlers rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Response

The legislative amendment could "represent a crucial step to ensure AI tools are safe before they are released," commented the chief executive of the internet monitoring foundation.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to make possibly endless amounts of advanced, photorealistic exploitative content," she added. "Material which further exploits victims' suffering, and makes children, especially female children, more vulnerable on and off line."

Counseling Interaction Data

The children's helpline also released details of support interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related harms discussed in the sessions comprise:

• Using AI to rate weight, physique and looks
• AI assistants discouraging children from talking to safe guardians about abuse
• Being bullied online with AI-generated content
• Online extortion using AI-faked images

During April and September this year, the helpline conducted 367 counselling interactions where AI, chatbots and associated terms were discussed, four times as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were related to psychological wellbeing and wellness, including utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapeutic apps.