
The United Kingdom is set to become the first country in the world to introduce new laws making it illegal to use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to create sexualised images of children. This move comes in response to a disturbing surge in the creation of child abuse material using AI, with online predators increasingly exploiting technology to manipulate real-life images of children.
According to The Reuters The government announced on Saturday that the new legislation will make it a criminal offence to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed to generate abusive images. Those found guilty of these offences could face up to five years in prison. The new law will also criminalise the possession of so-called “paedophile manuals” that instruct individuals on how to use AI to exploit children sexually, with penalties of up to three years in prison for those caught with such material.
The measures are being introduced in the face of growing concerns about online child abuse. AI is being used to "nudeify" real images of children or to superimpose the faces of children onto existing images to create sexualised content. Predators are also using AI-generated material to blackmail children, manipulating them into further abuse, including live streaming.
According to The BBC Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described the use of AI in these horrific crimes as a “disturbing phenomenon” and warned that online child sexual abuse is becoming an increasingly prevalent issue. “AI is putting this on steroids,” she said. “It’s making it easier for perpetrators to groom children and manipulate their images for exploitation.” Cooper also highlighted the growing online aspect of child abuse, noting that an inquiry had found approximately 500,000 children across the UK fall victim to some form of abuse each year, with a rising number of cases involving the internet.
The government is also taking aim at those who run websites that distribute or facilitate the sharing of child sexual abuse content. Anyone caught running such websites could face up to 10 years in prison. Additionally, authorities will be given powers to unlock digital devices for inspection as part of the crackdown on these crimes.
The announcement follows reports from the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which identified over 3,500 AI-generated child abuse images on a single dark web site in just a 30-day period in 2024. The IWF has warned that the number of these images continues to rise at an alarming rate.
With this pioneering move, the UK is sending a clear message that it will not tolerate the use of AI for such horrific purposes, and hopes to inspire other countries to follow suit in the battle to protect children from emerging online threats.