Lawmakers Hear Testimony on Role of AI in Some Child Sex Abuse Cases

Montana Lawmakers heard an hour of what one representative called “concerning and astounding” testimony Thursday, Jan. 9 on a bill aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse in the age of artificial intelligence.

House Bill 82 would update Montana law to account for the use of AI in altering photos of minors and using computer-generated images in “sextortion” cases that seek to blackmail children.

“This bill is about protecting our children in an environment where predators have evolved their tactics,” said Rep. Kathy Love, R-Hamilton, who is carrying the bill.

Montana Department of Justice Criminal Investigator Brian Cassidy said the Internet Crimes Against Children Division received 2,640 tips of internet sexual abuse in 2024 — a near 560% increase over the past ten years.

Cassidy said AI has increased the complexity and danger of online sexual abuse against children.

“ As the previous proponents have stated, this plugs a lot of holes and gaps that we have currently in our laws that are being used to exploit children across the state,” Cassidy said of the bill.

Cassidy said some cases have involved a perpetrator manipulating an existing photo of a minor with AI, while others saw AI being used to translate an offender’s message to sound more like a child or more realistic.

HB 82 would also create charges for “grooming” a minor, which the bill’s proponents say could help prevent sexual abuse cases early. The 16-page bill would also allow sting operations to arrest and charge offenders. There were no opponents to the bill at its first hearing.

Clayton Murphy is a reporter with the UM Legislative News Service, a partnership of the University of Montana School of Journalism, the Montana Broadcasters Association, the Montana Newspaper Association and the Greater Montana Foundation. Murphy can be reached at clayton.murphy@umconnect.umt.edu.