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Technology companies and child safety agencies will be granted permission to assess whether artificial intelligence tools can produce child exploitation images under recently introduced UK laws.

Significant Increase in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The declaration came as findings from a safety watchdog showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have more than doubled in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.

Updated Regulatory Structure

Under the changes, the government will permit designated AI developers and child protection organizations to inspect AI models – the foundational technology for chatbots and image generators – and verify they have sufficient safeguards to stop them from producing images of child sexual abuse.

"Ultimately about stopping abuse before it occurs," stated the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under strict protocols, can now identify the danger in AI models early."

Addressing Regulatory Challenges

The amendments have been introduced because it is illegal to create and own CSAM, meaning that AI creators and other parties cannot create such content as part of a testing process. Until now, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before dealing with it.

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

Legal Structure

The amendments are being added by the government as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a ban on owning, creating or distributing AI systems designed to create exploitative content.

Real-World Impact

This recently, the official visited the London base of Childline and heard a simulated call to advisors involving a account of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a explicit deepfake of themselves, constructed using AI.

"When I learn about children facing extortion online, it is a cause of extreme anger in me and rightful concern amongst families," he said.

Alarming Statistics

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

Cases of the most severe material – the most serious form of abuse – rose from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

• Girls were overwhelmingly targeted, accounting for 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of infants to two-year-olds increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The law change could "constitute a vital step to ensure AI products are secure before they are released," commented the head of the internet monitoring organization.

"AI tools have enabled so victims can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, giving offenders the capability to make possibly endless quantities of advanced, lifelike exploitative content," she added. "Content which additionally exploits survivors' suffering, and renders young people, particularly female children, more vulnerable on and off line."

Support Interaction Information

Childline also published details of counselling interactions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms discussed in the sessions comprise:

• Employing AI to rate weight, body and appearance
• AI assistants dissuading children from talking to trusted guardians about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated content
• Digital extortion using AI-manipulated images

Between April and September this year, the helpline conducted 367 counselling interactions where AI, chatbots and related topics were mentioned, significantly more as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 interactions were related to mental health and wellbeing, including utilizing AI assistants for assistance and AI therapy applications.