Elon Musk's online network X has sparked widespread backlash after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by taking off their attire.
Numerous instances have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from women to make them appear in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to put them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company that created Grok, offered no comment to questions, aside from an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government official stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification technology. Under a proposed law, anyone who provided such technology would "face a jail term and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of misuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the risk" of people accessing unlawful material on their networks, but did not specify whether it was currently examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some additional functions—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is frequently used to give commentary or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can modify an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
History of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been condemned for allowing users to produce images and clips with nudity and sexualised material, and it was previously accused of making sexually explicit content of celebrities.
"The platform has been allowing the generation and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any challenge by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "showing likenesses of people in a graphic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or share non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "necessary steps" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering illegal content on their services and to delete it promptly when they learn of it.
