The online platform X has caused major outrage after users used its AI chatbot Grok to change pictures of women by removing their clothing.
Multiple cases have emerged where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to make them appear in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the company behind Grok, offered no comment to inquiries, aside from an standard message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to prohibit nudification software. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such tools would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "assess the potential" of people seeing unlawful material on their services, but did not confirm whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in relation to AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some additional functions—which answers X users' queries when they reference it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to offer reactions or further context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to modify an uploaded photo through its AI image editing function.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The tool has been faulted for allowing users to produce images and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past accused of making graphic material of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and spread of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "portraying images of people in a sexually explicit fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were obligated to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing unlawful content on their services and to remove it quickly when they learn of it.
