The Crime and Policing Bill will introduce strict penalties for AI-generated child exploitation material.
The United Kingdom is set to become the first country to criminalise the use of AI to create child sexual abuse images. New offences will target AI-generated explicit content, including tools that “nudeify” real-life images of children. The move follows a sharp rise in AI-generated abuse material, with reports increasing nearly five-fold in 2024, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.
The government warns that predators are using AI to disguise their identities and blackmail children into further exploitation. New laws will criminalise the possession, creation, or distribution of AI tools designed for child abuse material, as well as so-called “paedophile manuals” that provide instructions on using such technology. Websites hosting AI-generated child abuse content will also be targeted, and authorities will gain powers to unlock digital devices for inspection.
The measures will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. Earlier this month, Britain also announced plans to outlaw AI-generated “deepfake” pornography, making it illegal to create or share sexually explicit deepfakes. Officials say the new laws will help protect children from emerging online threats.
