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Technology companies and child protection agencies will be granted authority to evaluate whether AI tools can produce child abuse images under new UK legislation.

Significant Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Material

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

Updated Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the government will permit designated AI companies and child safety organizations to examine AI systems – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating images of child sexual abuse.

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

Addressing Regulatory Obstacles

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

This law is designed to preventing that issue by helping to stop the creation of those materials at their origin.

Legal Framework

The changes are being introduced by the government as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a prohibition on possessing, producing or distributing AI systems designed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the minister 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 call depicted a teenager requesting help after being blackmailed using a explicit deepfake of themselves, created using AI.

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

Concerning Data

A prominent internet monitoring foundation stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as webpages that may contain numerous images – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Girls were predominantly targeted, making up 94% of illegal AI images in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Industry Response

The law change could "constitute a crucial step to ensure AI tools are secure before they are launched," commented the head of the online safety organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have made it so survivors can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, providing criminals the capability to create possibly endless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike exploitative content," she added. "Content which further exploits survivors' trauma, and renders children, particularly female children, more vulnerable 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 include:

• Using AI to rate body size, physique and appearance
• Chatbots dissuading young people from consulting safe guardians about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-faked pictures

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support sessions where AI, chatbots 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 sessions were connected with psychological wellbeing and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapy apps.