Safe Online has unveiled the latest global funding round, as the international initiative committes $8.1 million to combat technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse through artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
The 2026 funding round, announced by Safe Online in Geneva, supports 30 organisations developing AI-powered and technology-driven solutions to address emerging online threats facing children, particularly those arising from generative AI, digital grooming, and AI-generated child sexual abuse material.
The latest investments come as digital technologies continue to reshape child protection efforts globally, with AI creating both unprecedented opportunities and new forms of online abuse.
Over the past decade, Safe Online has invested more than $100 million in over 180 projects spanning more than 100 countries, making it one of the world’s largest funding initiatives dedicated to ending online child sexual exploitation and abuse.
Marija Manojlovic, executive director of Safe Online, said the scale of technology-facilitated abuse has outpaced traditional intervention models.
“The crisis of technology-facilitated child sexual exploitation and abuse passed a breaking point some time ago. The volume, speed, and new forms of harm have now outgrown human scale,” she said.
According to her, the organisation is increasingly focusing on addressing the root causes of online abuse while leveraging artificial intelligence to improve prevention, response mechanisms, and long-term child protection systems.
AI Takes Centre Stage in Child Protection
The funding round reflects growing concern over how generative AI is transforming online risks for children.
Safe Online noted that AI-generated child sexual abuse material is becoming more prevalent, while online grooming techniques are becoming faster, more personalised, and increasingly sophisticated.
Consequently, several funded organisations are developing AI-driven tools, conducting research into AI safety, and strengthening digital infrastructure to better detect, prevent, and respond to online child exploitation.
Among the selected projects, the Digital Futures for Children Centre at the London School of Economics will work with children across six countries to identify hidden risks within generative AI systems and inform the design of safer digital products.
In Kenya, Qhala Trust is developing one of Africa’s first child-focused AI safety benchmarks to ensure emerging technologies reflect children’s experiences, languages, and local contexts.
Other grantees include INHOPE, whose Project SOAR aims to strengthen collaboration among global hotlines, technology companies, and law enforcement agencies, while Kindred Tech will expand AI-powered investigative tools to help identify victims and accelerate child exploitation investigations.
Projects supporting prevention and survivor participation also featured prominently. These include initiatives by Together for Girls, Masayang Pamilya in the Philippines, and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, which are working to strengthen digital safety education, positive parenting, survivor engagement, and early intervention strategies.
Safe Online said the 30 organisations represent expertise across research, technology development, advocacy, survivor engagement, prevention, and systems strengthening, reflecting the broad, multi-sector collaboration needed to tackle rapidly evolving digital threats.
The organisation added that the new funding aims to ensure child protection efforts evolve at the same pace as emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, which continues to reshape the global digital landscape.
