Working Together to Protect Children in the Age of AI

By National Center for Missing & Exploited Children BLOG 

Every April, Child Abuse Prevention Month offers an opportunity to reflect. At the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), alongside law enforcement, other NGOs and technology partners, the mission to protect children continues every day. As technology evolves, so do the risks children face online. At the same time, innovation is helping us identify victims faster, support investigations and prevent harm in ways that were not possible just a few years ago.

AI is reshaping the online world. It has made it easier for offenders to create and share harmful content at scale. But it is also helping those on the front lines move more quickly to identify victims and stop abuse. Technology alone is not the answer, but when used responsibly and in partnership, it can make a meaningful difference for children.

That is why a full stack approach matters. There is no single tool that can solve child exploitation. It takes a combination of reporting mechanisms, data analysis, investigative tools, image recognition and strong collaboration across organizations. When these capabilities work together, they help create a clearer picture, connect cases across jurisdictions and ultimately help children get to safety faster. Partnerships play a critical role in making that possible. Our work with Clearview AI reflects the importance of bringing together complementary technologies and expertise.

We recently saw the power of that approach in a case where troubling images of a young child surfaced online. Through collaboration between NCMEC, technology partners and law enforcement, investigators were able to identify the child and move quickly. That effort led to the arrest of a suspect and, most importantly, helped protect a child from further harm. Clearview AI played an important role in helping identify the child, demonstrating how responsible innovation and partnership can help drive real-world impact.

As technology continues to evolve, collaboration across sectors has never been more important. Technology companies, nonprofits and law enforcement each play a role. By working together and continuing to innovate responsibly, we can ensure that advances in technology are used to help protect children.

During Child Abuse Prevention Month and beyond, we remain committed to working with partners across the technology ecosystem to strengthen our collective response. Because behind every case is a child who deserves safety, protection and the chance to have a safe childhood.