The United Kingdom is set to become the first country to introduce laws aimed at curbing the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to create sexual abuse images, the government revealed on Saturday.
The proposed legislation will criminalize the possession, creation, or distribution of AI tools designed to produce sexualized images of children, with offenders facing up to five years in prison. Additionally, the law will make it illegal to possess AI-generated “paedophile manuals” that instruct individuals on exploiting AI for child sexual abuse, with penalties of up to three years in prison.
Interior Minister Yvette Cooper called the rise of AI-generated child abuse material a “real disturbing phenomenon” in an interview with Sky News, highlighting how AI is amplifying the already growing issue of online child exploitation. “These tools are being used to groom children, manipulate their images, and even blackmail them into further abuse,” Cooper said. “It’s just the most vile of crimes.”
The new laws will also target AI models used specifically for child abuse, as well as criminalizing individuals who operate websites that facilitate the sharing of abuse content or provide guidance on grooming children. Those running such platforms could face up to ten years in prison.
The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) has raised alarms about the increasing use of AI in generating child abuse imagery. In a 30-day period in 2024, IWF analysts identified over 3,500 AI-generated child abuse images on a single dark web platform. The foundation reported a 10% increase in the most serious images over the past year.
Cooper referred to findings from a recent inquiry revealing that approximately 500,000 children in the UK experience some form of abuse annually, with a growing number of cases occurring online. The new measures will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, to be presented in Parliament.
“This is an international issue, but the UK is leading the way,” Cooper stated, urging other countries to adopt similar measures. The government emphasized the urgent need to tackle the misuse of AI in protecting children from this rising threat.