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Tech firms and child safety agencies will be granted permission to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can generate child abuse images under recently introduced British legislation.

Significant Rise in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration coincided with revelations from a protection watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated child sexual abuse material have more than doubled in the past year, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Legal Structure

Under the changes, the authorities will permit approved AI developers and child safety organizations to examine AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating images of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, adding: "Experts, under rigorous conditions, can now detect the danger in AI systems promptly."

Tackling Regulatory Obstacles

The amendments have been introduced because it is against the law to create and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot generate such content as part of a evaluation process. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

This legislation is aimed at preventing that issue by enabling to stop the production of those materials at source.

Legal Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as modifications to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a ban on possessing, producing or distributing AI models developed to generate exploitative content.

Practical Impact

This recently, the minister toured the London headquarters of Childline and heard a simulated conversation to counsellors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The call portrayed a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a explicit AI-generated image of himself, constructed using AI.

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

Alarming Data

A prominent internet monitoring organization stated that instances of AI-generated abuse material – such as online pages that may include multiple files – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Female children were overwhelmingly targeted, making up 94% of illegal AI images in 2025
• Depictions of infants to two-year-olds increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Reaction

The law change could "represent a vital step to ensure AI products are safe before they are launched," commented the head of the online safety organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have made it so victims can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to make potentially limitless amounts of advanced, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Material which further commodifies victims' trauma, and makes young people, especially female children, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Interaction Data

Childline also released details of support interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks mentioned in the conversations comprise:

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, body and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging children from talking to safe adults about abuse
• Being bullied online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-faked images

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots and related terms were discussed, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Fifty percent of the references of AI in the 2025 sessions were connected with mental health and wellness, encompassing using chatbots for assistance and AI therapeutic apps.