Elon Musk's online network X has provoked widespread backlash after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate images of women by taking off their clothing.
Numerous cases have been seen where the tool has been employed to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to put them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, did not respond to inquiries, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being introduced to prohibit nudification software. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "face a jail term and heavy fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time investigating X or Grok in regarding artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more context to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of edit an uploaded photo through its AI image editing feature.
History of Controversy and Policy
The chatbot has been condemned for enabling users to create pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in generating inappropriate material of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the generation and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have not seen any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy prohibits "showing likenesses of people in a sexually explicit manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or distribute private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this covered sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing illegal content on their platforms and to delete it swiftly when they become aware of it.
