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Technology companies and child protection organizations will be granted permission to assess whether AI systems can produce child exploitation images under recently introduced British legislation.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Illegal Material

The announcement came as revelations from a protection watchdog 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 Structure

Under the amendments, the authorities will permit approved AI developers and child protection groups to inspect AI systems – the underlying systems for chatbots and visual AI tools – and verify they have adequate protective measures to prevent them from creating images of child exploitation.

"Fundamentally about preventing abuse before it occurs," declared Kanishka Narayan, noting: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now identify the risk in AI models promptly."

Addressing Regulatory Challenges

The changes have been implemented because it is illegal to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot generate such images as part of a testing regime. Until now, authorities had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was published online before dealing with it.

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

Legislative Framework

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

Practical Consequences

This week, the minister visited the London headquarters of Childline and listened to a simulated call to counsellors featuring a report of AI-based exploitation. The call depicted a teenager requesting help after facing extortion using a sexualised deepfake of themselves, constructed using AI.

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

Alarming Statistics

A prominent internet monitoring organization stated that instances of AI-generated exploitation material – such as webpages that may include numerous files – had significantly increased so far this year.

Cases of category A content – the gravest form of exploitation – rose from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

• Female children were predominantly victimized, accounting for 94% of illegal AI depictions in 2025
• Portrayals of newborns to two-year-olds increased from five in 2024 to 92 in 2025

Sector Reaction

The legislative amendment could "represent a crucial step to ensure AI tools are safe before they are released," commented the chief executive of the online safety organization.

"Artificial intelligence systems have enabled so survivors can be targeted all over again with just a simple actions, providing criminals the capability to make potentially limitless quantities of advanced, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she added. "Material which additionally commodifies victims' trauma, and makes children, especially female children, more vulnerable both online and offline."

Counseling Interaction Data

The children's helpline also published details of support sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related harms discussed in the sessions include:

• Using AI to evaluate weight, body and looks
• Chatbots discouraging children from talking to trusted adults about harm
• Being bullied online with AI-generated content
• Digital blackmail using AI-faked images

During April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 counselling interactions where AI, conversational AI and related 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 related to mental health and wellness, including using chatbots for support and AI therapeutic apps.