The Council of Europe has raised concerns over the growing misuse of artificial intelligence in generating and distributing child sexual abuse material, urging stronger international cooperation and enforcement measures to combat emerging cyber threats.

In a joint statement issued following a session held in Strasbourg, the Council of Europe’s Cybercrime Convention Committee and the Committee of Parties to the Lanzarote Convention warned that AI-generated and altered child sexual exploitation and abuse material poses significant challenges for law enforcement, victim protection, and digital safety frameworks.

The committees stated that existing criminalisation provisions under the Convention on Cybercrime and the Lanzarote Convention are technology-neutral and therefore applicable to offences involving AI-generated or AI-manipulated abusive content.

The joint statement highlighted concerns that rapidly evolving AI technologies are enabling offenders to create, alter and circulate abusive material on a larger scale, while also complicating investigations and evidence assessment. The misuse of AI was also linked to increased risks of online grooming, extortion, the normalisation of abuse, and continued victim exploitation through manipulated imagery.

Participants stressed the need for member states to ensure that existing legal frameworks remain effective in addressing offences involving synthetic or altered abuse material. The committees also encouraged countries to review legal reservations that could limit the prosecution of AI-generated child abuse content.

The statement further called for stronger international collaboration, rapid removal of harmful material, specialised training for law enforcement and judicial authorities, and closer cooperation with technology companies and online service providers.

The committees emphasised that continued coordination among criminal justice agencies, child protection organisations, civil society groups, international institutions, and private-sector stakeholders will be essential to address the growing impact of AI-driven online sexual offences against children.