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Tech firms and child protection agencies will receive authority to evaluate whether AI tools can produce child exploitation images under new UK laws.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Content

The announcement came as revelations from a safety monitoring body showing that reports of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

New Regulatory Structure

Under the changes, the authorities will permit approved AI developers and child protection groups to inspect AI models – the foundational systems for chatbots and visual AI tools – and ensure they have adequate protective measures to stop them from producing depictions of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing exploitation before it happens," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now identify the risk in AI models promptly."

Tackling Regulatory Obstacles

The changes 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 testing process. Previously, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before addressing it.

This law is aimed at preventing that problem by helping to halt the creation of those images at source.

Legislative Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also establishing a ban on owning, producing or distributing AI systems designed to create exploitative content.

Real-World Impact

This week, the minister toured the London base of a children's helpline and heard a simulated conversation to advisors involving a report of AI-based abuse. The call depicted a adolescent seeking help after being blackmailed using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, created using AI.

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

Concerning Data

A prominent online safety foundation stated that cases of AI-generated exploitation content – such as webpages that may include multiple files – had significantly increased so far this year.

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

• Girls were predominantly targeted, accounting for 94% of prohibited AI images in 2025
• Portrayals of newborns to toddlers increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

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

"AI tools have enabled so victims can be targeted all over again with just a simple actions, giving offenders the capability to make possibly endless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike exploitative content," she continued. "Content which additionally commodifies survivors' trauma, and makes children, particularly girls, less safe on and off line."

Support Interaction Data

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

• Employing AI to rate weight, physique and appearance
• Chatbots dissuading children from talking to safe guardians about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-manipulated pictures

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

Fifty percent of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to mental health and wellbeing, encompassing using AI assistants for assistance and AI therapeutic apps.