The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children has reported a significant increase in artificial child sexual abuse imagery resulting from the mainstreaming of AI image generators. In 2023, the organization received 36.2 million reports to its “CyberTipline”, with nearly 5,000 attributed to generative AI. This represents a concerning trend, as the actual number of AI-generated CSAM is likely higher and continuing to grow.
The utilization of AI image generators for creating illegal sexual abuse images has become more prevalent over the past year, leading to reports of deepfake nude photos circulating among schools and the use of illegal CSAM to train AI models. OpenAI, Anthropic, and Stability AI are among the generative AI companies now working with NCMEC to track and flag potential CSAM content. Despite these efforts, the challenge remains in distinguishing AI-generated CSAM from authentic material, as well as the need for smaller platforms to cooperate in combating this issue.
The ease and speed at which AI technology is developing raises concerns about the potential for a significant increase in AI-generated CSAM. The fear is that the current law enforcement system is ill-equipped to handle the scale of this problem, exacerbated by the difficulty in differentiating fake AI-generated content from real abuse imagery. While some major AI players have agreed to collaborate with NCMEC, smaller platforms that contribute to the dissemination of CSAM have yet to join the effort.
In the first quarter of 2024, NCMEC continued to receive a high volume of reports related to AI-generated CSAM, with an average of 450 reports per month. The organization anticipates that this trend will persist and grow, posing a significant challenge for law enforcement agencies and technology companies alike. With the potential for the spread of AI-generated CSAM to increase exponentially, the need for collaboration and proactive measures to address this issue is more critical than ever.
As the field of AI technology expands rapidly, the concerns surrounding the proliferation of AI-generated CSAM are becoming more urgent. The cooperation between NCMEC and leading generative AI companies marks a positive step towards addressing this issue, but additional efforts will be necessary to combat the growing problem effectively. It is vital for both the tech industry and law enforcement agencies to work together to prevent the further dissemination of illegal AI-generated content and protect vulnerable individuals from harm.
