UK to become first country to criminalise AI child abuse tools

The United Kingdom is set to become the first country to introduce laws targeting the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate sexual abuse images, the government announced on Saturday.

 The groundbreaking legislation aims to 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.

The proposed laws will also make it illegal to possess AI-generated “paedophile manuals” that teach individuals how to exploit AI for child sexual abuse, carrying penalties of up to three years in prison, according to interior minister Yvette Cooper.

In an interview with Sky News on Sunday, Cooper described the issue as a “real disturbing phenomenon” and highlighted the growing threat posed by AI. “Online child sexual abuse material is increasing, and AI is amplifying the problem,” she said. “These tools are being used to groom children, manipulate their images, and even blackmail them into further abuse. It’s just the most vile of crimes.”

The new legislation will also target AI models specifically used for child abuse and criminalize predators who operate websites that facilitate the sharing of s3xual abuse content or provide advice on grooming children. Those running such platforms could face up to ten years in prison.

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), which monitors online child exploitation, has raised alarms about the rising use of AI in producing child s3xual abuse images. Over a 30-day period in 2024, IWF analysts identified 3,512 AI-generated child abuse images on a single dark web platform. The number of the most serious category of images increased by 10 percent within a year, the organization reported.

Cooper cited findings from a recent inquiry indicating that approximately 500,000 children across the UK experience some form of abuse annually, with a growing proportion occurring online. The new measures will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill set to be presented in Parliament.

“This is an international issue, but the UK is leading the way,” Cooper said, urging other countries to follow suit. The government has emphasized the urgency of addressing the misuse of AI to combat the escalating threat to children.