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Technology companies and child protection organizations will receive authority to assess whether AI tools can generate child abuse images under recently introduced British laws.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration came as revelations from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the past year, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the government will permit approved AI companies and child protection organizations to inspect AI systems – the foundational technology for conversational AI and image generators – and verify they have adequate safeguards to stop them from creating images of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Experts, under rigorous conditions, can now detect the risk in AI models early."

Tackling Legal Challenges

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

This legislation is designed to preventing that problem by helping to halt the creation of those materials at their origin.

Legislative Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the government as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a ban on owning, producing or sharing AI models developed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Impact

This week, the official toured the London headquarters of Childline and listened to a mock-up conversation to advisors featuring a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a adolescent requesting help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

"When I learn about young people facing extortion online, it is a source of intense anger in me and rightful anger amongst families," he stated.

Alarming Statistics

A prominent online safety foundation stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as webpages that may contain multiple images – had more than doubled so far this year.

Instances of category A material – the gravest form of abuse – increased from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

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

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "represent a vital step to guarantee AI products are safe before they are released," stated the chief executive of the online safety organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a simple actions, giving criminals the capability to create potentially limitless amounts of advanced, lifelike exploitative content," she added. "Material which additionally commodifies victims' suffering, and makes children, especially girls, less safe on and off line."

Support Interaction Information

Childline also published information of support sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions comprise:

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, physique and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging children from talking to trusted adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Digital blackmail using AI-faked pictures

Between April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 support sessions where AI, conversational AI and related topics were mentioned, significantly more as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were related to mental health and wellness, including using AI assistants for support and AI therapeutic applications.