Source: WRAL

A Wake County teen, whose name is withheld because of his age, faces multiple felony charges and is alleged to have used artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit photos of juvenile female students; Knightdale Police confirmed a secured custody order was issued for the suspect on June 18. Parents who spoke to WRAL anonymously say prosecutors informed them some images of their daughters did not meet the legal threshold for charges, with one parent reporting that images depicting breasts alone were described as insufficient without touching or manipulation. State law definitions cited in the article define second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor to include creating or adapting digital or computer-generated visual depictions by technological means such as algorithms or artificial intelligence, and to criminalize distribution or solicitation of material presenting an identifiable minor engaged in sexual activity.

Legal observers and parents highlight that statutory language — specifically the phrase “engaged in sexual activity” — may exclude images that display breasts but do not show genitals or pubic area, a point made by Joseph Hyde, assistant professor of public law and government at UNC’s School of Government. The piece notes North Carolina amended sexual extortion laws in 2024 to include explicit reference to AI and similar technologies, but lawmakers are still debating further steps: House Bill 301, aimed at restricting younger teenagers’ access to “addictive” social media platforms, passed the Senate and awaits a conference committee; Democratic senators said they wanted stronger AI-focused measures, and Senate minority leader Sydney Batch proposed amendments to increase penalties for AI-generated child pornography, require influencer and AI-ad disclosures, and impose a “duty of loyalty” on AI chatbots to prevent self-harm encouragement and clarify chatbot limitations to users.