Surge in AI-Generated Child Sexual Abuse Videos Raises Alarms, Watchdog Warns

The proliferation of artificial intelligence has led to a troubling increase in child sexual abuse materials (CSAM) online, according to the UK-based Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). In the first half of 2025 alone, 1,286 AI-generated videos depicting the gravest forms of child sexual abuse were verified, a dramatic spike from just two in the same period last year. Advances in AI and the widespread accessibility of video-generation tools have enabled paedophiles to create realistic, category A illicit content—often involving real-life victims—without new acts of abuse. Authorities warn this wave of synthetic CSAM threatens to overwhelm web safeguards and fuel broader criminal activity. The UK is responding with new laws criminalizing the creation, possession, or distribution of AI-enabled abuse tools and instructional material. Enforcement aims to curb a crisis that sets a precedent for international regulatory responses to AI-driven crime.

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