Former child psychiatrist sentenced for sexually exploiting children by using AI

Channel 9 has learned more details after a Charlotte child psychiatrist was sentenced to 40 years for sexual exploitation of a minor and using artificial intelligence to create child sex abuse material.

Dr. David Tatum worked for Atrium Health and is now in jail.

U.S. Attorney Dena King said that someone who knows Tatum first reported suspicions to authorities and the investigation identified a total of six victims.

Some were recorded while undressing or in the shower.

None were Tatum’s patients, and none were from Charlotte.

“The evidence showed that Tatum used a web-based artificial intelligence application to alter images of clothed minors to then turn it into child pornography,” said Dena King, the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina. “Two of the images that Tatum used the AI to modify were from a school dance and a photo commemorating the first day of school.”

King said they believe they identified all of Tatum’s victims.

She added that her office has many more cases right now that involve AI technology.

She warned that people should be mindful of the content they post and realize that it can be accessed and misused by people with bad intentions.

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