Tech firms and child protection organizations will receive permission to assess whether artificial intelligence tools can produce child exploitation images under new British legislation.
The announcement coincided with findings from a protection monitoring body showing that cases of AI-generated CSAM have increased dramatically in the last twelve months, growing from 199 in 2024 to 426 in 2025.
Under the amendments, the authorities will permit designated AI developers and child protection groups to examine AI systems – the foundational systems for chatbots and image generators – and ensure they have sufficient protective measures to stop them from producing images of child sexual abuse.
"Fundamentally about stopping exploitation before it happens," stated Kanishka Narayan, adding: "Specialists, under strict conditions, can now identify the danger in AI systems promptly."
The amendments have been implemented because it is against the law to produce and possess CSAM, meaning that AI developers and others cannot create such content as part of a evaluation process. Until now, officials had to wait until AI-generated CSAM was uploaded online before dealing with it.
This legislation is aimed at preventing that issue by enabling to stop the production of those materials at their origin.
The changes are being added by the authorities as revisions to the crime and policing bill, which is also establishing a prohibition on possessing, producing or sharing AI models developed to generate exploitative content.
This week, the official toured the London base of a children's helpline and heard a simulated conversation to counsellors featuring a report of AI-based abuse. The interaction depicted a adolescent requesting help after facing extortion using a explicit AI-generated image of themselves, constructed using AI.
"When I learn about children experiencing extortion online, it is a cause of extreme anger in me and justified concern amongst parents," he said.
A leading internet monitoring foundation reported that cases of AI-generated exploitation content – such as webpages that may include numerous images – had more than doubled so far this year.
Cases of the most severe material – the gravest form of abuse – rose from 2,621 visual files to 3,086.
The law change could "constitute a crucial step to ensure AI products are secure before they are launched," commented the head of the online safety organization.
"AI tools have enabled so victims can be targeted repeatedly with just a few clicks, giving criminals the ability to create possibly limitless quantities of sophisticated, photorealistic child sexual abuse material," she added. "Material which further commodifies victims' trauma, and renders young people, especially female children, less safe both online and offline."
Childline also published details of counselling sessions where AI has been referenced. AI-related risks discussed in the conversations include:
During April and September this year, the helpline delivered 367 support sessions where AI, conversational AI and associated terms were discussed, four times as many as in the equivalent timeframe last year.
Half of the mentions of AI in the 2025 sessions were related to psychological wellbeing and wellbeing, encompassing utilizing chatbots for assistance and AI therapeutic applications.
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