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Technology companies and child protection agencies will receive authority to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child exploitation material under new British legislation.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The announcement coincided with findings from a protection watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Legal Framework

Under the changes, the authorities will allow approved AI companies and child protection organizations to examine AI systems – the underlying technology for conversational AI and image generators – and verify they have sufficient protective measures to prevent them from creating depictions of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it happens," stated the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Experts, under strict protocols, can now identify the risk in AI systems early."

Tackling Legal Challenges

The changes have been implemented because it is illegal to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot generate such content as part of a testing regime. Previously, officials had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it.

This law is aimed at preventing that problem by enabling to stop the creation of those images at source.

Legal Structure

The changes are being introduced by the government as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a ban on owning, producing or sharing AI systems designed to create exploitative content.

Real-World Consequences

This recently, the minister toured the London base of Childline and listened to a simulated conversation to counsellors involving a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a teenager requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised deepfake of himself, constructed using AI.

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

Concerning Statistics

A leading online safety organization reported that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as online pages that may contain multiple files – had significantly increased so far this year.

Instances of the most severe content – the gravest form of exploitation – rose from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

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

Industry Response

The legislative amendment could "constitute a vital step to ensure AI products are secure before they are released," stated the head of the online safety organization.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted all over again with just a simple actions, giving criminals the ability to make possibly endless amounts of advanced, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Content which further exploits victims' suffering, and makes young people, especially girls, less safe both online and offline."

Support Interaction Information

The children's helpline also published information of support sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms mentioned in the sessions comprise:

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, body and looks
• AI assistants dissuading young people from consulting trusted guardians about harm
• Being bullied online with AI-generated content
• Digital blackmail using AI-faked images

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

Fifty percent of the references of AI in the 2025 interactions were related to mental health and wellness, including using chatbots for support and AI therapeutic apps.