Increase in AI-Generated CSAM Prompts government Action

⁤ A⁣ recently filed document, posted on‍ September 19, ‍reveals a⁤ contract between Hive AI and⁢ a government entity involving the use of the company’s ⁣AI detection algorithms to identify child sexual‍ abuse material (CSAM).‍ Hive AI ⁤cofounder and CEO Kevin Guo confirmed the contract’s focus on ⁢CSAM detection to
MIT Technology Review, but declined to provide specific details.

‍ ⁤the contract‍ comes as the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) ⁢reported a⁤ staggering 1,325% increase in incidents involving generative AI in 2024, according to
data released by NCMEC. This surge in ⁤AI-generated content is overwhelming investigators.

Challenges in Identifying Real Victims

‍ Child exploitation investigators⁤ prioritize identifying and ⁢stopping ongoing abuse. However, the proliferation of⁤ AI-generated CSAM complicates⁤ this process, making it ⁣arduous to determine if images depict actual victims currently at risk. A‍ reliable tool to flag⁣ real victims would significantly improve case prioritization.
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⁤According to⁤ the filing, identifying AI-generated images “ensures that investigative resources are focused on cases involving real victims, maximizing the program’s impact and safeguarding vulnerable individuals.”
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Hive AI’s Capabilities and Prior Work

Hive AI provides a range of AI-powered tools, including those for creating ⁤videos⁤ and images, and⁢ also content moderation tools capable of flagging violence,⁢ spam, sexual material,⁢ and even identifying ‍celebrities. In December 2024,
MIT Technology Review reported ‍that the company was already selling its deepfake-detection technology to the US Department of Defense.