British Technology Firms and Child Protection Agencies to Test AI's Capability to Create Abuse Content

Technology companies and child protection agencies will receive permission to evaluate whether artificial intelligence systems can produce child abuse images under recently introduced UK legislation.

Substantial Rise in AI-Generated Harmful Material

The announcement coincided with revelations from a safety 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.

Updated Legal Framework

Under the changes, the government will allow approved AI companies and child protection organizations to examine AI systems – the underlying technology for conversational AI and visual AI tools – and verify they have sufficient safeguards to stop them from producing images of child exploitation.

"Ultimately about stopping exploitation before it occurs," declared the minister for AI and online safety, noting: "Specialists, under rigorous protocols, can now detect the danger in AI models promptly."

Addressing Legal Challenges

The amendments have been introduced because it is against the law to produce 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 designed to preventing that problem by enabling to halt the production of those materials at source.

Legislative Framework

The amendments are being introduced by the authorities as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a ban on possessing, creating or distributing AI systems developed to create child sexual abuse material.

Real-World Impact

This recently, the official visited the London headquarters of Childline and heard a mock-up call to advisors involving a account of AI-based exploitation. The interaction portrayed a teenager seeking help after facing extortion using a sexualised AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.

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

Concerning Data

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

Cases of the most severe material – the gravest form of exploitation – increased from 2,621 images or videos to 3,086.

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

Industry Response

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

"AI tools have made it so survivors can be victimised all over again with just a few clicks, giving offenders the capability to make possibly limitless amounts of sophisticated, lifelike child sexual abuse material," she continued. "Material which further exploits survivors' suffering, and makes young people, especially girls, less safe both online and offline."

Counseling Session Data

The children's helpline also published details of support interactions where AI has been mentioned. AI-related risks mentioned in the conversations comprise:

• Using AI to rate weight, physique and appearance
• Chatbots discouraging young people from consulting trusted guardians about abuse
• Facing harassment online with AI-generated material
• Digital extortion using AI-faked pictures

During April and September this year, Childline delivered 367 counselling sessions where AI, chatbots and related topics were mentioned, four times as many as in the same period last year.

Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to psychological wellbeing and wellness, including utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapeutic applications.