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Tech firms and child safety agencies will receive authority to assess whether AI tools can generate child exploitation images under new UK legislation.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

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

New Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the authorities will permit approved AI companies and child safety organizations to inspect AI systems – the underlying systems for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have sufficient protective measures to stop them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Experts, under strict conditions, can now detect the risk in AI systems promptly."

Addressing Regulatory Challenges

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

This law is designed to averting that issue by helping to halt the creation of those images at source.

Legal Structure

The amendments are being introduced by the government as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a ban on possessing, creating or sharing AI models designed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Practical Impact

This week, the minister toured the London base of a children's helpline and heard a mock-up call to counsellors featuring a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a teenager requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised deepfake of himself, created using AI.

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

Concerning Data

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

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

• Female children were overwhelmingly victimized, making up 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Response

The legislative amendment could "represent a crucial step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are released," commented the chief executive of the internet monitoring foundation.

"AI tools have made it so survivors can be victimised repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to create potentially limitless amounts of sophisticated, photorealistic exploitative content," she added. "Content which additionally commodifies survivors' suffering, and makes young people, especially girls, less safe on and off line."

Counseling Interaction Information

The children's helpline also published information of counselling interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related harms mentioned in the conversations comprise:

• Using AI to evaluate body size, body and looks
• AI assistants discouraging young people from consulting trusted guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Online blackmail using AI-faked images

Between April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, chatbots and associated topics were mentioned, four times as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellbeing, including utilizing AI assistants for support and AI therapy applications.