The online network X has caused major backlash after individuals used its AI chatbot Grok to change pictures of women by taking off their attire.
Multiple cases have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Developer Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to questions, aside from an automatically-generated response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being introduced to ban image stripping tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was currently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they tag it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to provide commentary or further background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The system has been faulted for permitting users to generate photos and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in generating graphic content of celebrities.
"The platform has been allowing the production and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any action and we have yet to see any challenge by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing likenesses of persons in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or share non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this applied to sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "necessary measures" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to take down it quickly when they are notified of it.
