US Prosecutors Target AI-Generated Child Sex Abuse Imagery

Federal efforts intensify as existing laws are tested against the rising use of AI in creating illicit content.

Prosecutors have initiated two criminal cases this year, using existing child pornography and obscenity laws to tackle AI-generated child sex abuse images.
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reports receiving about 450 monthly tips related to AI-generated abuse, highlighting a growing concern.
Legal challenges are expected, particularly in cases where AI-generated images do not depict identifiable children, complicating prosecutions.
Advocates push for new legislation to specifically address AI-generated child sex abuse material, as existing laws may not sufficiently cover these emerging threats.
Tech companies like Google, Amazon, and Meta have committed to preventing their AI systems from generating or spreading child sex abuse imagery.