AI used to generate child sexual abuse material in Germany, police report
German police reported that artificial intelligence is being used to generate child sexual abuse material. Investigators warned that AI-enabled abuse depictions will increase rather than reduce victim numbers. Police registered record numbers of child abuse cases including a 20 percent rise in youth pornography offenses.
What happened
German police reported in July 2026 that artificial intelligence is being used to generate child sexual abuse material. Investigators and experts warned that the increasing use of AI to create completely artificial abuse depictions will not lead to declining victim numbers but will instead increase them.
Reported impact
Police registered 17,126 cases of child sexual abuse in the previous year, around 1,600 more than five years prior and 772 more than the year before. Investigators noted a 20 percent increase in youth pornography cases compared to the prior year.
Index analysis
The Bundeskriminalamt report found that in more than half of cases there was a prior relationship between victims and suspects. The vast majority of victims were girls, and suspects were predominantly men acting alone.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.