The Internet Watch Foundation found more AI-generated child sexual abuse images in the first half of 2026 than in all of 2025

The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), the UK charity that finds and removes child sexual abuse material online, published new figures on Monday 5 October. Between 1 January and 30 June 2026 its analysts assessed 6,310 AI-generated images that met the legal definition of child sexual abuse. That is 40% more than in the whole of 2025, when it counted 4,512.

Where age and gender were recorded, girls appeared in 98% of the images. Children aged seven to 13 made up 79% of them, up from 70% in 2025. Most of the images fell into Category C, the least severe legal category: 5,557, or 88%, against 62% last year.

“It is deeply concerning to see how quickly AI-generated child sexual abuse imagery continues to grow and spread online,” said Kerry Smith, the IWF's chief executive.

The IWF used the figures to press EU lawmakers to enact the Child Sexual Abuse Regulation, which it says would give platforms the legal certainty to detect both known and newly generated material. “At a time when technology is making it easier than ever to create and distribute abusive images and videos at scale, Europe cannot afford to delay,” the release says.

The figures count what IWF analysts assessed, not all AI abuse imagery online. The shift towards less severe categories and younger children is the IWF's own comparison with its 2025 figures.

• Confirmed 6,310 AI-generated images met the legal definition from 1 January to 30 June 2026, against 4,512 in all of 2025 (40% more). Internet Watch Foundation
• Confirmed Girls appeared in 98% of images where recorded; children aged 7–13 were 79% of images, up from 70%. Internet Watch Foundation
• Claimed The IWF says the EU needs its Child Sexual Abuse Regulation to let platforms detect known and new material. Internet Watch Foundation