The Rising Concern Around Child AI Sextortion
With the rise of artificial intelligence, or AI, bad actors are able to create sexually explicit images out of any pictures or social media posts. Sometimes, these images are used to blackmail the victim for monetary or sexual gain, which is known as sextortion.
Although AI is useful and valuable to many people, it also is a tool that, when used by the wrong people, can harm innocent people. AI sextortion can happen to anyone, yet the FBI states that children are being targeting more frequently in recent years. Knowing how to protect your children from sextortion is imperative in the modern world.
What Is Sextortion?
Sextortion is a type of blackmail in which a perpetrator uses sexually explicit materials of a person to coerce them into following orders. The photos can be obtained by the perpetrator in multiple ways but often occur as they groom and manipulate the person into trusting them with sensitive material. Once the photos are in their possession, the perpetrator then threatens to share the victim’s material with the public unless the victim does as they say.
The perpetrator may ask for more photos, sexually explicit videos, or money. Sextortion feeds on a person’s desire to fit in and their need for approval, with children being the primary targets. This form of abuse has never been easier for perpetrators as the photo-obtaining portion is unnecessary with the use of AI.
What Is Artificial Intelligence Sextortion?
AI sextortion differs from standard sextortion with the scary progression that the victim does not have to provide a photo, or even contact the perpetrator prior to the blackmail. Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, Grok, and others are able to digitally remove the clothing in a picture or create a nude picture of someone based on as little information as a name in the case of celebrities.
Whether AI-generated or standard sextortion, the result is the same: the victim is blackmailed using the threat of releasing sexually explicit images.
Why Is AI Sextortion on the Rise?
Generative AI is constantly evolving and progressing more rapidly than ever before, with some estimating AI understanding nearly doubling every five months. With such an increase in capabilities, bad actors are bound to find ways to exploit it for their own gain. This, along with the repeated failures of AI companies to protect against the creation of explicit materials, is the perfect recipe for an extreme increase in sextortion. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network recorded the loss of $33.5 million in only one year to sextortion schemes, a 59% increase. It is now more important than ever to protect yourselves and your children from AI sextortion.
It is important to note that although anyone can be targeted by sextortion, the majority are children and teenagers. As the most susceptible to manipulation due to their age, many types of sexual coercion are used with this age group as the victims.
Laws Around Sextortion
In May 2025, the TAKE IT DOWN Act, or S.146, was passed that makes the publication of nonconsensual AI generated explicit images illegal nationally. This is an important step forward in the regulation of sextortion, building on the laws passed by all 50 states that outlaw distribution of intimate images without consent. However, there are a few loopholes that are exploited by bad actors.
The first of which is that when it comes to AI generated explicit images, seven states only protect children or don’t have any protections in place. The second and much more glaring work-around is that these laws almost always prohibit the distribution or publication of AI generated sexual images, but are often silent about their creation. This possibly opens the door to the creation of such images, if nothing is done to stop this. Creation alone should be outlawed.
Public figures, such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Paris Hilton, also notice the lack of legislation about such creation and are supporting legislation allowing victims of AI-generated explicit images to sue those who create such images.
Combating AI Sextortion
The most important protection against AI sextortion is to only share photos with trusted loved ones. Set all social media profiles as private, so that others need to request to see your photos and bad actors do not have access to your content. However, if you are already a victim of sextortion, AI or standard, be sure to report it to police as soon as possible. After reporting to authorities, seeking legal help may also help you reclaim any funds paid to the perpetrator. Although sextortion is rapidly becoming an online epidemic with the rise of artificial intelligence, there are avenues to protect yourself and your loved ones.