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Technology companies and child safety organizations will be granted permission to evaluate whether AI tools can generate child abuse material under recently introduced UK legislation.

Substantial Increase in AI-Generated Illegal Material

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

Updated Regulatory Framework

Under the amendments, the government will permit approved AI developers and child safety groups to examine AI models – the underlying systems for conversational AI and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient safeguards to prevent them from creating depictions of child sexual abuse.

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

Addressing Regulatory Obstacles

The amendments have been implemented because it is against the law to produce and own CSAM, meaning that AI developers and other parties cannot generate such images as part of a testing regime. Previously, authorities had to delay action until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before addressing it.

This legislation is designed to preventing that issue by enabling to halt the creation of those images at their origin.

Legal Framework

The changes are being added by the government as revisions to the criminal justice legislation, which is also implementing a ban on possessing, producing or distributing AI systems developed to generate child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Consequences

This week, the official visited the London headquarters of Childline and heard a mock-up call to advisors featuring a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction portrayed a teenager requesting help after being blackmailed using a explicit AI-generated image of himself, created using AI.

"When I hear about young people experiencing extortion online, it is a source of intense frustration in me and rightful concern amongst parents," he said.

Concerning Data

A prominent online safety foundation stated that cases of AI-generated abuse material – such as webpages that may include numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.

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

• Female children were predominantly victimized, making up 94% of prohibited AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of newborns to two-year-olds rose from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Response

The law change could "represent a vital step to guarantee AI products are safe before they are released," stated the head of the internet monitoring organization.

"AI tools have made it so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a simple actions, providing offenders the capability to create possibly endless quantities of sophisticated, photorealistic exploitative content," she continued. "Content which further commodifies survivors' trauma, and renders young people, especially girls, less safe both online and offline."

Counseling Session Data

Childline also released details of counselling interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related harms mentioned in the sessions comprise:

• Using AI to rate weight, body and looks
• AI assistants dissuading young people from consulting safe adults about harm
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Online extortion using AI-manipulated images

During April and September this year, the helpline conducted 367 support interactions where AI, chatbots and related topics 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 related to psychological wellbeing and wellness, encompassing utilizing chatbots for support and AI therapy applications.