Austin, Texas, is witnessing a disturbing rise in crimes involving child pornography facilitated by artificial intelligence, according to local police.
The Austin Police Department (APD) recently arrested 19-year-old Jack Bullington, who faces multiple charges related to the creation and distribution of explicit images of underage girls on social media.
Authorities reported that Bullington altered images by cropping the faces of 11 underage girls onto nude bodies in a pornographic context, subsequently posting these on the platform X.
Investigators revealed that Bullington solicited these explicit modifications and had agreed to compensate individuals for their services.
Currently, he is facing ten charges, including possession and promotion of child pornography, with six counts already indicted by a Travis County grand jury.
Sgt. Russel Weirich of the Tactical Investigations Command and Child Exploitation Unit emphasized that additional charges could arise as authorities work to identify more potential victims.
Only a few years ago, these types of charges were not feasible for the APD to pursue.
Sgt. Weirich pointed out that while laws existed, they did not adequately address the use of AI in such crimes.
Although the activities were troubling and detrimental to victims, law enforcement had limited options for action.
In recent years, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) has reported a significant increase in child exploitation cases that involve AI technology.
The organization operates a cyber tip line where the public and electronic service providers can report suspected sexual exploitation.
Jennifer Newman, NCMEC’s executive director, highlighted a staggering 1,300% rise in cyber tip line reports involving generative AI technology in just one year, jumping from 4,700 reports in 2023 to 67,000 in 2024.
Newman noted, “We are seeing offenders manipulating existing child sexual abuse material to depict even more abuse.”
There is also a troubling trend of offenders seeking advice on how to evade detection while targeting children more effectively.
In Texas alone, over 74,000 reports related to potential child exploitation, both AI-related and otherwise, were directed to law enforcement in 2024.
In light of this alarming situation, lawmakers are actively proposing new legislation at both the state and federal levels to combat AI-generated child pornography.
In Texas, Senate Bill 20 is making headway, having been passed by both the House and Senate.
This new legislation aims to establish a felony for the possession or promotion of child pornography depicting a child under 18, regardless of whether the images involve a real child or AI-generated content.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick stated that the bill intends to eliminate any existing loopholes in the law to bolster protections for children.
At the federal level, President Donald Trump recently approved the “Take It Down Act,” which was introduced by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas).
This new law imposes stricter penalties for revenge pornography and images altered using AI while also mandating that social media platforms remove such content within 48 hours of notification.
Sgt. Weirich expressed optimism about the recent legislative endeavors, stating, “We’re really starting to get traction on some of this legislation that we’ve been able to use.”
He elaborated that these measures are instrumental in aiding victims as they work towards healing from the trauma inflicted upon them.
Education and communication regarding online safety have become vital areas of focus for both law enforcement and advocacy organizations.
Newman emphasized the importance of proactive discussions with children about online exploitation, stating, “Communication is such a key part of this and really opening that door to have these discussions early and often with your kids is the most effective tool in combating online child sexual exploitation.”
In Austin, local entities like the Center for Child Protection provide essential resources for victims and their families.
As the APD continues to pursue criminal charges related to child exploitation, they aim to send a clear message: using AI for such malicious purposes carries severe consequences.
Sgt. Weirich underscored, “The images created in this fashion are illegal, and the actions taken create trauma and embarrassment for the victims.”
He hopes that the ongoing investigations will deter others from pursuing these harmful activities.
image source from：https://www.kvue.com/article/news/crime/austin-19-year-old-facing-10-charges-distributing-child-pornography-created-ai/269-6aea2662-3f1c-420d-8eb8-8e5b2000cb43
