British man sentenced to 18 years for using AI to make child sexual abuse imagery [Video]

This undated photo provided by Greater Manchester Police on Monday, Oct. 28, 2024 shows Hugh Nelson, who was sentenced to prison for 18 years after he used artificial intelligence technology to create images of child abuse. (Greater Manchester Police/via AP) (Uncredited)

LONDON – A British man who used artificial intelligence to create images of child abuse was sent to prison for 18 years on Monday.

The court sentenced Hugh Nelson, 27, after he pleaded guilty to a number of sexual offenses including making and distributing indecent images of children and distributing “indecent pseudo photographs of children.” He also admitted to encouraging the rape of a child.

Nelson took commissions from people in online chatrooms for custom explicit images of children being harmed both sexually and physically.

Police in Manchester, in northern England, said he used AI software from a U.S. company, Daz 3D, that has an “AI function” to generate images that …