top of page
Parent-the-Internet-logo
JOIN US

AI-generated child sexual abuse material surged online in 2025

  • Writer: Parent the Internet
    Parent the Internet
  • Mar 24
  • 2 min read

In 2025, the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) identified 8,029 pieces of AI-generated child sexual abuse material (CSAM). That represents a 14% increase from the previous year.


Even more alarming is the rise in video content. The IWF reported a more than 260-fold increase in AI-generated videos, with a total of 3,443 videos identified.


The Severity of the Content Is Increasing


Not only is the volume growing—the content itself is becoming more extreme.


According to the IWF:

  • 65% of AI-generated videos were classified as Category A, the most severe level

  • By comparison, 43% of non-AI videos fall into that same category


This suggests that AI tools are not just increasing the amount of harmful content—but are being used to create more violent and explicit mat erial.


Kerry Smith, CEO of the IWF, warned:“Advances in technology should never come at the expense of a child’s safety and wellbeing… it is horrifying to consider that its power can be used to devastate a child’s life. This material is dangerous.”


How AI Is Changing the Risk Landscape


Experts monitoring online spaces say that individuals seeking this material are actively discussing and embracing new AI capabilities.


According to an IWF analyst:

  • Online communities are reacting to these technological advances with “delight”

  • Conversations focus on how AI is producing increasingly realistic images and videos

  • Some tools are now capable of adding audio to videos

  • Others can manipulate images of real children known to offenders


There is also growing discussion around so-called “agentic” AI systems—tools that can act more independently and carry out tasks on their own—raising further concerns about how this technology could be misused.


Why This Matters for Parents


The rapid evolution of AI means that harmful content is:

  • Becoming more realistic and harder to distinguish from real media

  • Easier to produce and distribute at scale

  • Potentially involving the likeness of real children


The IWF, which operates a global hotline and monitors abuse content worldwide, warns that as AI tools become more powerful and widely available, the risks to children increase—especially through video content.


As Kerry Smith put it:“Children, victims and survivors cannot afford for us to be complacent… in some cases, lives are on the line.”


What You Can Do as a Parent


While governments and tech companies work to catch up, parents still play a critical role in protecting their children:


  • Stay engaged with what your child is doing online

  • Talk openly about what they might encounter—and what to do if something feels wrong

  • Monitor platforms and settings, especially as new AI-powered tools emerge

  • Help them understand that highly realistic images or videos online may not be real



 
 
bottom of page