Britain is set to become the first country in the world to make it illegal to use artificial intelligence (AI) to create child sexual abuse images. The new law will introduce specific offences targeting AI tools that generate explicit images of children, including those used to “nudeify” real photos of minors.
In England and Wales, it is already a crime to possess, create, share, or distribute indecent images of children. However, with the rise of AI technology, online criminals are increasingly using these tools to produce child abuse material. Reports of such content have increased nearly five times in 2024, according to the Internet Watch Foundation.
Britain’s interior minister, Yvette Cooper, emphasized the need to tackle both online and offline child sexual abuse. She pointed out that predators often start their abuse online, which can lead to more serious crimes in real life.
Criminals are also using AI to hide their identities and manipulate children with fake images, sometimes blackmailing them into further exploitation, including live-streamed abuse. To address this, the new law will criminalize the use, possession, or distribution of AI tools specifically designed to create child sexual abuse material. It will also ban AI paedophile manuals, which provide instructions on how to use such technology.
Additionally, a new offence will target those running websites that distribute child abuse content. Authorities will also be given powers to unlock digital devices for investigation.
These measures will be part of the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill in Parliament. Earlier this month, Britain also announced plans to criminalize the creation and sharing of sexually explicit “deepfake” images and videos generated using AI.
