The social media network X has provoked widespread anger after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate pictures of females by taking off their clothing.
Multiple examples have been seen where the tool has been used to digitally undress women to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in inappropriate situations.
Company Response and Legal Position
XAI, the firm behind Grok, offered no comment to questions, except for an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that new laws is being introduced to ban image stripping technology. Under a new law, anyone who provided such tools would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".
"The platform is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they chose to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the risk" of people seeing illegal content on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which reacts to X users' prompts when they reference it in a post.
It is often used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to modify an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification function.
Background of Controversy and Policy
The tool has been faulted for permitting users to produce pictures and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in making graphic material of public figures.
"The platform has been enabling the generation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "showing images of people in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "create or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "suitable actions" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering illegal content on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.
