Alberta Football Coach Charged for Using AI to Create Child Pornography

Thumbnail Image

The information displayed in the AIM should not be reported as representing the official views of the OECD or of its member countries.

Justin Tillery, a junior girls' football coach in Lethbridge, Alberta, was arrested and charged with multiple child sexual exploitation offenses after allegedly using AI to manipulate and sexualize photos of underage girls. Authorities say the AI-generated images were distributed online, and investigations are ongoing to identify victims.[AI generated]

Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?

The article explicitly states that artificial intelligence was used to manipulate photos of underage girls to create child pornography. This use of AI directly leads to a violation of fundamental rights and legal protections, which fits the definition of an AI Incident. The harm is realized and significant, involving illegal and harmful content creation and distribution.[AI generated]
AI principles
AccountabilityRespect of human rightsSafetyPrivacy & data governanceRobustness & digital securityHuman wellbeingTransparency & explainability
Industries
Media, social platforms, and marketingGovernment, security, and defenceDigital securityEducation and training
Affected stakeholders
Children
Harm types
Human or fundamental rightsPsychologicalReputational
Severity
AI incident
AI system task:
Content generation

Articles about this incident or hazard

Thumbnail Image

Lethbridge man charged with using AI to make child pornography

2025-07-18
Lethbridge News Now
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that artificial intelligence was used to manipulate photos of underage girls to create child pornography. This use of AI directly leads to a violation of fundamental rights and legal protections, which fits the definition of an AI Incident. The harm is realized and significant, involving illegal and harmful content creation and distribution.
Thumbnail Image

Lethbridge man, originally from Medicine Hat charged with using AI to make child pornography

2025-07-18
CHAT News Today
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves the use of AI technology to create illegal and harmful content (child pornography), which directly leads to violations of human rights and legal protections for minors. The AI system's use in generating such content is central to the harm caused, making this an AI Incident under the framework.
Thumbnail Image

Alberta football coach accused of using AI to make child porn

2025-07-18
CityNews Calgary
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The event involves the use of an AI system to manipulate images to create illegal and harmful content (child pornography), which constitutes a violation of laws protecting minors and human rights. The AI system's use directly led to harm through the creation and distribution of exploitative material, fulfilling the criteria for an AI Incident under violations of human rights and legal obligations.
Thumbnail Image

Lethbridge girls football coach charged for allegedly using AI to make child pornography | CBC News

2025-07-18
CBC News
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the suspect used artificial intelligence to create child pornography by manipulating images of minors. This constitutes a direct harm to the victims involved, violating their rights and causing significant harm. The involvement of AI in the creation of illegal content and its distribution meets the criteria for an AI Incident, as the AI system's use directly led to serious legal and human rights violations.
Thumbnail Image

Alberta football coach accused of using AI to make child pornography: ALERT | Globalnews.ca

2025-07-18
Global News
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the accused used AI to manipulate photos of underage girls to create child pornography, which is a serious violation of human rights and legal protections. The AI system's involvement is central to the harm caused, fulfilling the criteria for an AI Incident. The harm is realized, not just potential, as charges have been filed and investigations are ongoing. Therefore, this event qualifies as an AI Incident due to direct harm caused by the AI system's misuse.
Thumbnail Image

Alberta football coach charged with using AI to create child porn

2025-07-18
Pulse24.com
Why's our monitor labelling this an incident or hazard?
The article explicitly states that the suspect used AI to create manipulated sexualized images of minors, which were then distributed. This use of AI directly caused harm by violating child protection laws and causing psychological and social harm to victims and their communities. The involvement of AI in producing illegal content that harms individuals meets the criteria for an AI Incident, as the harm is realized and directly linked to the AI system's use.