The first deepfake sexual abuse prosecution should not be treated as a one-off legal curiosity. It should be treated as a warning.

AI-generated sexual abuse can cause real reputational, emotional and social harm. The recent prosecution exposed gaps and complexity in the current legal framework.

Law reform discussions are already underway. New Zealand often waits until a problem is obvious before deciding it needs a system to manage it. That approach is no longer good enough.

If the law only catches up after victims have been humiliated, harassed and forced to explain why the harm is real, then the system is already too slow.

A better response would be practical, clear and enforceable. None of this requires panic. It requires seriousness.

The real test is whether decision-makers act while the issue is in front of them, or whether they wait until the next person is harmed.