This study describes the state of current research at the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and child sexual abuse (CSA). It examines the uses of AI for the prevention and disruption of CSA and the ways in which AI is used in CSA offending. 

The review emphasises the potential for AI technologies to identify, prevent and disrupt CSA. An evidence gap map is provided to guide future research and informs the identification of five important areas for future research. The principal gap in research identified by this review was the use of AI for CSA offending.

Findings

• In recent years, the development of artificial intelligence has rapidly increased, with availability of this technology significantly expanding. 
• Development of AI technologies has extended to the field of child sexual abuse, with the scope and scale of the problem – particularly online – becoming too great for manual human-led approaches to manage effectively. 
• AI technologies are increasingly playing diverse roles in the creation of child sexual abuse materials (CSAM). 
• Concerns have been raised that the ability to generate CSAM using AI could support an increase in CSAM consumption.
• Growth in AI-generated CSAM creates significant challenges for law enforcement. 
• The malicious use of AI technologies for the production of CSAM is growing and is likely to continue to grow without multi-sector intervention.