The online platform X has provoked significant outrage after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter photos of females by stripping their attire.
Several examples have been seen where the system has been used to remove clothing from female subjects to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to put them in sexually explicit situations.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, offered no comment to questions, except for an standard response stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw nudification tools. Under a new law, anyone who distributed such technology would "receive a prison sentence and substantial fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Stance and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a post.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or more context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of edit an posted photo through its AI image editing function.
History of Criticism and Policy
The chatbot has been faulted for permitting users to create pictures and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of generating sexually explicit material of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the production and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any action and we have not seen any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "showing images of people in a pornographic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or circulate non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and stated this included explicit AI images generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable actions" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering illegal content on their services and to remove it quickly when they learn of it.
