The role of AI in combating child exploitation

The platform opens debate on the responsibilities of digital creators

The increase in reported cases is noted for the first time in the first half of 2025, when the platform sent authorities a number of reports about 80 times higher than that registered last year. The NCMEC (National Center for Missing & Exploited Children) is an authorized clearinghouse by Congress to collect reports on child abuse, including sexual material and other forms of child exploitation.

According to OpenAI's update, the major players are required to report any apparent cases of child exploitation to the CyberTipline. The NCMEC then reviews each report and forwards it to law enforcement agencies for investigation.

In particular, it is worth noting that statistics related to NCMEC reports can be nuanced: an increase in reported cases may indicate a change in automated moderation or criteria used by platforms to decide whether a report needs to be sent. Therefore, the NCMEC states that the increase in reported cases does not necessarily mean an increase in malicious activity.

In conclusion, the increase in child exploitation reports on OpenAI raises many questions about the responsibility of digital platforms to protect minors. It would be desirable for authorities and creators to work together to address this complex issue.

Source: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2025/12/openais-child-exploitation-reports-increased-sharply-this-year/