AI images of child sexual abuse getting ‘significantly more realistic’, says watchdog

AI-generated images of child sexual abuse are surging online, with a 380% increase in reports last year alone, leading to over 7,600 illegal content pieces. A majority of these were classified as "category A," including extreme forms like penetrative acts and sadism. The UK government has introduced stricter laws to crack down on AI tools designed to produce or distribute such material, closing a previously unreported loophole that had alarmed authorities. In response, the Internet Watch Foundation launched Image Intercept, a tool for smaller websites to identify and block abusive content, highlighting the growing threat of online abuse and sextortion powered by AI.