Sen. Ossoff Investigating the Risks to Children from AI

Washington, D.C. - U.S. Senator Jon Ossoff is investigating risks to children from AI.

In a virtual press conference, Sen. Ossoff announced he is investigating risks to kids from AI, highlighting his continued work to keep kids safe online.

Sen. Ossoff was joined by John Shehan, Senior Vice President of the Exploited Children Division and International Engagement from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), who shared new data warning that kids in Georgia are at increasing risk from AI online.

Last month, as part of his investigation, Sen. Ossoff requested data from NCMEC about the risks to children from AI, including about children being exploited using AI chatbots, the use of "nudifying" AI applications targeting children, and more.

Mr. Shehan shared the following data about NCMEC tipline reports made available to the Georgia Bureau of Investigations (GBI) involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material:

• 2023: 14 reports
• 2024: 105 reports
• 2025: 202 reports
• Q1 of 2026: 448 reports

This data shows a 3,100% increase in reports of AI-generated sexual abuse material from 2023 to Q1 of 2026.

"I've launched an investigation into risks to children from artificial intelligence, and I know that this is a subject -- because I've heard it from parents in every corner of the state -- that families in Georgia are deeply concerned about. The internet can be a dangerous place for children. You all will recall the bipartisan bill that I passed into law, the REPORT Act, which requires big tech and social media companies to report to NCMEC, to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, evidence of child predation or child trafficking or child grooming on social media platforms," Sen. Ossoff said. "That legislation, a bipartisan bill that I worked on with my Republican colleague in Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn, is now law, and it has alerted the authorities to many leads in Georgia and across the country, enabling the authorities to investigate, arrest, and prosecute child predators before they can hurt children. That law focused on big tech companies and social media platforms. Families across Georgia right now are grappling with the rapid mass adoption of large language models and AI chatbots and [are] deeply concerned about risks to children from artificial intelligence."

"CyberTipline reports that are made available to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, involving AI-generated child sexual abuse material, including those 'Nudify' applications - those reports have increased from just 14 reports in 2023, to 105 in 2024, to 202 in 2025, and during the first quarter of just this year, the GBI received 448 reports from NCMEC involving generative AI child sexual abuse material. Technology is advancing faster than the safeguards designed to protect children, and children deserve innovation that is built with safety in mind, not technology that makes it easier to exploit them," said Senior Vice President of NCMEC's Exploited Children Division and International Engagement John Shehan.

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