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Tech firms and child safety agencies will be granted permission to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child abuse images under recently introduced UK laws.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The declaration coincided with findings from a safety monitoring body showing that cases of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have more than doubled in the last twelve months, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Structure

Under the amendments, the authorities will allow designated AI companies and child safety groups to inspect AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating depictions of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about stopping exploitation before it occurs," declared Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Experts, under rigorous protocols, can now identify the risk in AI models early."

Tackling Legal Obstacles

The changes have been introduced because it is illegal to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot generate such content as part of a evaluation process. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it.

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

Legal Structure

The changes are being introduced by the government as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a prohibition on owning, creating or distributing AI systems designed to generate exploitative content.

Real-World Impact

This week, the official visited the London base of Childline and listened to a simulated conversation to counsellors featuring a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a teenager requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

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

Concerning Data

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

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

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

Sector Reaction

The law change could "constitute a vital step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are launched," stated the head of the internet monitoring foundation.

"AI tools have made it so victims can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, providing criminals the ability to create potentially limitless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike exploitative content," she continued. "Material which further commodifies survivors' trauma, and renders children, especially female children, less safe both online and offline."

Support Interaction Information

Childline also published information of counselling interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions comprise:

• Employing AI to evaluate weight, body and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging young people from talking to trusted guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Digital extortion using AI-manipulated pictures

Between April and September this year, the helpline conducted 367 counselling interactions where AI, conversational AI 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 connected with psychological wellbeing and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy applications.