A new system based on artificial intelligence automatically detects materials depicting the sexual exploitation of children and teens and promptly requests their deletion. (iClickArt) Unauthorized reproduction and redistribution of this photo is prohibited under copyright law.

By Koh Hyun Jeong

A new artificial intelligence (AI) system automatically detects digital materials depicting sexual exploitation and requests their deletion.

This represents a break from the approach of passive and reactive response by automating and using AI in the system for responding to digital sex crimes, thus boosting the speed and accuracy of actions.

The Ministry of Gender Equality and Family on April 1 announced the official launch of three core high-tech systems: automation of deletion requests, preemptive response to online materials related to the sexual exploitation of children and adolescents, and AI detection of deepfakes.

When a video with potentially damaging content is registered, AI automatically conducts the entire process in real time, from sending a deletion request to some 20,000 websites to managing processing history, with the time needed per case slashed to just one minute.

AI detects and preemptively blocks sexual exploitation materials or grooming information without the need for reporting. Pilot operation of the system saw the number of collected data cases skyrocket more than 80 times than when humans did the work manually.

Minister of Gender Equality and Family Won Min-Kyong said, "Through the full-fledged launch of AI in the field and raising response speed and accuracy, we will lead efforts to help victims quickly return to their daily lives and set up a comprehensive support system."

hjkoh@korea.kr