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Technology companies and child safety agencies will be granted authority to assess whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child exploitation images under new UK legislation.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration coincided with findings from a protection monitoring body showing that reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have increased dramatically in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Framework

Under the changes, the government will allow designated AI developers and child protection groups to examine AI models – the foundational systems for conversational AI and image generators – and verify they have adequate protective measures to stop them from creating images of child sexual abuse.

"Ultimately about preventing exploitation before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, noting: "Specialists, under rigorous conditions, can now detect the risk in AI systems promptly."

Tackling Legal Challenges

The amendments have been implemented because it is illegal to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such images as part of a evaluation regime. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

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

Legislative Structure

The changes are being introduced by the authorities as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a prohibition on possessing, creating or sharing AI models designed to generate exploitative content.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the minister toured the London base of Childline and listened to a simulated conversation to advisors featuring a account of AI-based abuse. The call portrayed a adolescent requesting help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about young people experiencing blackmail online, it is a source of intense frustration in me and rightful anger amongst parents," he said.

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring foundation reported that cases of AI-generated exploitation content – such as online pages that may contain numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.

Cases of category A content – the gravest form of abuse – rose from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

• Female children were predominantly targeted, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Depictions of infants to two-year-olds rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Response

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

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a simple actions, providing criminals the ability to make possibly limitless amounts of advanced, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she added. "Content which additionally exploits survivors' trauma, and makes young people, particularly female children, less safe on and off line."

Support Interaction Information

Childline also published details of counselling sessions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include:

• Employing AI to rate body size, physique and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging children from consulting safe adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-manipulated images

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support interactions where AI, chatbots and associated terms were discussed, four times as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to psychological wellbeing and wellness, including utilizing AI assistants for assistance and AI therapeutic apps.