AFP, London

Britain will become the first country to introduce laws against AI tools used to generate sexual abuse images, the government announced late Saturday.

The government will make it illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate sexualised images of children, punishable by up to five years in prison, interior minister Yvette Cooper revealed.

It will also be illegal to possess AI “paedophile manuals” which teach people how to use AI to sexually abuse children, punishable by up to three years in prison.

“This is a real disturbing phenomenon. Online child sexual abuse material is growing, but also the grooming of children teenagers online. And what’s now happening is that AI is putting this on steroids,” interior minster Yvette Cooper told Sky News yesterday.