Analysts at the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) have discovered AI-generated child sexual abuse images linked to a chatbot on the open web. Between June and August 2025, the IWF recorded 17 such incidents. Although the site advertises free trial chats before offering paid subscriptions, its darker functions include previews of chatbot personas tied to abusive content. Metadata shows the prompts used to generate the images were intentionally exploitative.
IWF CEO Kerry Smith stressed offenders are exploiting AI at pace, calling for urgent legislation and AI safety regulation. The forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill will introduce new offences for creating or distributing AI models designed to generate child sexual abuse material, which is already illegal in the UK under existing child protection laws.
Other experts, including the NSPCC and National Crime Agency, warned that unchecked AI development risks normalising abuse and undermining law enforcement. The IWF also highlighted a broader rise in AI-generated CSAM, with a 400% increase in reports in the first half of 2025 alone.
Authorities and child protection advocates are urging tech companies and governments to prioritise child safety in AI development, embed protections by design, and treat AI-generated abuse as a pressing criminal threat.
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