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Technology companies and child safety agencies will receive permission to assess whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child exploitation images under new British laws.

Significant Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Content

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

Updated Regulatory Structure

Under the changes, the authorities will permit designated AI developers and child protection groups to examine AI models – the underlying technology for conversational AI and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient safeguards to prevent them from producing images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing exploitation before it occurs," declared 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 introduced because it is illegal to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such content as part of a evaluation process. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

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

Legal Structure

The amendments are being added by the authorities as modifications to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a prohibition on owning, creating or distributing AI models developed to create child sexual abuse material.

Practical Consequences

This week, the official toured the London base of a children's helpline and listened to a simulated call to advisors involving a account of AI-based exploitation. The interaction depicted a adolescent seeking help after being blackmailed using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

"When I hear about young people facing blackmail online, it is a cause of intense frustration in me and justified anger amongst families," he said.

Alarming Statistics

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

Instances of the most severe content – 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 images in 2025
• Portrayals of newborns to two-year-olds rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry 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 made it so survivors can be victimised all over again with just a simple actions, providing criminals the ability to create possibly endless quantities of sophisticated, photorealistic exploitative content," she continued. "Material which further commodifies victims' trauma, and makes young people, especially female children, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Session Information

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

• Employing AI to evaluate body size, body and appearance
• AI assistants dissuading children from talking to safe guardians about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-faked images

During April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, chatbots and associated terms were discussed, significantly more as many as in the same period last year.

Fifty percent of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellness, encompassing using chatbots for assistance and AI therapy apps.