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Tech firms and child safety agencies will receive permission to evaluate whether AI systems can generate child exploitation material under recently introduced British legislation.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Content

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 last twelve months, rising from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the authorities will permit designated AI companies and child safety groups to examine AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have sufficient safeguards to stop them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about preventing abuse before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Experts, under strict protocols, can now detect the danger in AI systems promptly."

Addressing Legal Challenges

The amendments have been introduced because it is illegal to create and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot create such images as part of a testing process. Until now, officials had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it.

This legislation is aimed at averting that problem by helping to stop the creation of those images at their origin.

Legal Framework

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

Real-World Impact

This recently, the minister toured the London headquarters of a children's helpline and listened to a mock-up conversation to advisors featuring a report of AI-based exploitation. The interaction depicted a adolescent seeking help after facing extortion using a explicit deepfake of themselves, constructed using AI.

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

Alarming Statistics

A leading online safety organization stated that cases of AI-generated abuse content – such as online pages that may contain numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.

Instances of the most severe material – the most serious form of abuse – increased from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.

• Girls were predominantly targeted, accounting for 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Depictions of newborns to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Response

The legislative amendment could "represent a vital step to guarantee AI tools are secure before they are launched," stated the chief executive of the internet monitoring foundation.

"AI tools have enabled so survivors can be targeted all over again with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to make possibly endless quantities of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she added. "Material which further commodifies victims' trauma, and renders young people, especially girls, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Support Session Information

Childline also released information of support interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks discussed in the sessions include:

• Employing AI to evaluate weight, physique and appearance
• AI assistants dissuading children from talking to safe adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Digital extortion using AI-manipulated pictures

Between April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 counselling interactions where AI, conversational AI and associated topics were discussed, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

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