In a warning about the emerging dangers of AI for children, Chris Sherwood, the new CEO of the NSPCC, highlighted the case of a teenage boy whose face was pasted onto an explicit image by a scammer. This was used to extort the boy for money, exposing the darker side of generative AI.
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Sherwood, in his first interview as head of the children’s charity, emphasised the potential risks AI poses for children, potentially surpassing the damage caused by social media. Childline, the NSPCC’s counselling service, has already noted a rise in AI-related concerns from young people.
According to new figures, Childline recorded 178 instances where AI was mentioned in counselling sessions, with issues ranging from mental health and online safety to sexual abuse and bullying.
Sherwood pointed to disturbing cases where AI was used for bullying, including generating explicit images or targeting a young person’s sexuality, intensifying challenges for children navigating the digital world.
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The threat of AI-fuelled child sexual abuse images has caught the attention of law enforcement, with new crime legislation expected to criminalise the use of AI models for generating such material.
Sherwood has urged immediate regulation to safeguard children, warning that we must not repeat the mistakes made with social media, where action came too late to prevent harm.
