H.M. Drottningens tal vid World Childhood Foundation USA Summit Digital Guardians

It is an honour to stand before you today, surrounded by individuals who share a profound commitment to safeguarding children.

I want to express my sincere gratitude to our distinguished speakers and experts, whose tireless efforts - both today and in the future—help create a safer world for our children.

We know that child sexual abuse and exploitation exist in every society and culture. But we also know it can be prevented. Together, in this room, we have the power to bring about that change.

The rapid evolution of technology has become both a shield and a weapon. On one hand, it provides us with powerful tools to protect, educate, and connect children in ways we never thought possible. On the other, it enables devastating harm. We must ensure that children are safe as they grow up in an increasingly digital world. Since 2002, Childhood has been dedicated to developing online solutions to protect children, and we remain committed to this cause.

The sheer volume of child sexual abuse material circulating online is difficult to comprehend. Now, with the rise of artificial intelligence, we are facing an alarming new challenge- one that demands our immediate and unwavering action.

Perpetrators can use a real picture of a child to order AI-generated child sexual abuse material on the Darkweb. The AI-generated images and videos are getting more and more difficult to distinguish from reality.

AI generated or not – it can destroy lives and cause immense trauma for children.

Shame and guilt often keep them from speaking out. The awareness that images of their abuse - whether real or fabricated - exist online permanently only heightens their sense of helplessness.

Yet, children possess remarkable strength. They are resilient, intelligent, and resourceful, often finding their own ways to stay safe online and offline. But it should never be their burden to bear. It is ours.

Technology is not inherently good or bad—it is how we choose to use it that matters. As AI continues to advance, we should focus on the opportunities it offers. AI-driven initiatives are already helping law enforcement track and remove child sexual abuse material. It also holds tremendous potential for detecting grooming behaviours and disrupting the tactics predators use to exploit vulnerable children.

Three years ago, we launched Stella Polaris, Childhood’s hub for uniting children’s rights and AI. This project coordinates and amplifies AI initiatives aimed at combatting child sexual abuse.

The rapid advancements in AI demonstrate that this was a wise decision. However, to fully harness its potential, we must foster partnerships across various sectors. Collaboration is essential to developing meaningful, scalable solutions that can stay ahead of the misuse of technology.

It is important to remember that while all children are at risk of abuse, those from marginalised backgrounds, those with disabilities, or those who are socially isolated, are even more vulnerable. Technology provides us with the means to reach these hard-to-reach groups, offering them a safe space to disclose their experiences and receive the support they need.

Looking at all of you today, I feel hope. We must win this fight, using every tool at our disposal - especially technology -to safeguard children. Children may possess resilience, but it is our responsibility as adults to create the safe environments in which they can truly thrive.

I am confident that, together, we will continue to advance the innovations and solutions necessary to protect children, both online and offline. Thank you for being here and for your commitment to protecting children.