Due to its capacity and speed, AI could play an important role to tackle the problem that has grown exponentially during the last few years. The aim of the workshop, with representatives from EU countries, US and Canada, was to explore how AI could be used to identify, categorise and swiftly remove CSAM on the internet. AI could also further help to minimise the exposure of human investigators to distressing images. Another objective of the workshop was to identify the role of the internet Hotlines in this process, and to get an overview of already existing technological tools and how they meet the needs of Hotlines and law enforcement agencies. The 46 Hotlines in 42 countries worldwide are part of the INHOPE network, where members of the public can report online child sexual abuse material.
To combat CSAM, the European Commission is currently funding under the Connecting Europe Facility the ICCAM, a secure online platform allowing a swift global exchange of reports between internet Hotlines.