Jakarta, INTI - The European Union (EU) has taken initial legal steps to ban the use of artificial intelligence (AI) practices that generate child sexual abuse images. On Friday, March 13, 2026, member states proposed that the practice be included as a prohibited activity within the EU AI Act legal framework, which is considered the world's first comprehensive regulatory framework for AI.
This step comes amid growing global concerns about AI-generated sexually explicit content, including intimate deepfakes. Governments in various countries assessed that the use of AI on this matter has the potential to make it difficult for law enforcement to investigate.
Pressure on technology companies has also increased following reports of sexual content generated by xAI's Grok chatbot, which is integrated with the X platform. Regulators in the UK, Ireland, Spain, and the EU are now investigating the alleged misuse of the Grok chatbot.
The proposed ban is still awaiting approval from the European Parliament, followed by scheduled voting on a similar proposal. And if agreed by both parties, negotiations will be conducted with the European Commission to include the changes in existing AI regulations. Analysts estimate the legislative and negotiation process will take about a year.
Conclusion
The European Union has taken a step to tighten AI regulations by proposing the banning of AI technology to generate sexual, intimate deepfakes, and child sexual abuse content. This measure aims to prevent digital exploitation of children and increase oversight of the use of generative AI, although the approval process still requires further legislative and negotiation steps.
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