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Technology companies and child protection agencies will be granted authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence tools can generate child exploitation material under new UK legislation.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration coincided with revelations from a protection watchdog showing that reports of AI-generated CSAM have increased dramatically in the past year, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Structure

Under the amendments, the authorities will permit approved AI developers and child safety groups to examine AI systems – the underlying technology for conversational AI and visual AI tools – and verify they have adequate safeguards to prevent them from creating images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about stopping exploitation before it happens," declared the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now identify the danger in AI models promptly."

Tackling Legal Obstacles

The changes have been implemented because it is illegal to create and own 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 published online before dealing with it.

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

Legislative Framework

The changes are being introduced by the government as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also implementing a ban on possessing, producing or distributing AI systems developed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This recently, the official visited the London headquarters of Childline and heard a simulated conversation to counsellors involving a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a adolescent seeking help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of himself, constructed using AI.

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

Alarming Data

A prominent online safety organization stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as online pages that may include numerous images – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

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

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "constitute a vital step to guarantee AI products are secure before they are released," stated the chief executive of the internet monitoring foundation.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted all over again with just a simple actions, giving offenders the ability to make possibly endless quantities of advanced, lifelike exploitative content," she continued. "Content which additionally commodifies survivors' suffering, and renders children, particularly girls, less safe on and off line."

Counseling Session Data

The children's helpline also published details of support sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions include:

• Using AI to evaluate weight, physique and appearance
• AI assistants dissuading children from consulting trusted guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Online blackmail using AI-faked pictures

During April and September this year, Childline conducted 367 support sessions where AI, conversational AI and associated terms were mentioned, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Fifty percent of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with mental health and wellbeing, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapeutic applications.