The amount of AI-generated child abuse images found on the internet is increasing at a “chilling” rate, according to a national watchdog.
The Internet Watch Foundation deals with child abuse images online, removing hundreds of thousands every year.
Now, it says artificial intelligence is making the work much harder.
“I find it really chilling as it feels like we are at a tipping point,” said “Jeff”, a senior analyst at the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), who uses a fake name at work to protect his identity.
In the last six months, Jeff and his team have dealt with more AI-generated child abuse images than the preceding year, reporting a 6% increase in the amount of AI content.
A lot of the AI imagery they see of children being hurt and abused is disturbingly realistic.
“‘Whereas before we would be able to definitely tell what is an AI image, we’re reaching the point now where even a trained analyst […] would struggle to see whether it was real or not,” Jeff told Sky News.
In order to make the AI images so realistic, the software is trained on existing sexual abuse images, according to the IWF.
“People can be under no illusion,” said Derek Ray-Hill, the IWF’s interim chief executive.
“AI-generated child sexual abuse material causes horrific harm, not only to those who might see it but to those survivors who are repeatedly victimised every time images and videos of their abuse are mercilessly exploited for the twisted enjoyment of predators online.”
The IWF is warning that almost all the content was not hidden on the dark web but found on publicly available areas of the internet.
“This new technology is transforming how child sexual abuse material is being produced,” said Professor Clare McGlynn, a legal expert who specialises in online abuse and pornography at Durham University.
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