The online network X has provoked major backlash after users used its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of women by removing their garments.
Multiple examples have surfaced where the technology has been employed to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexually explicit situations.
Company Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, other than an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being proposed to prohibit image stripping software. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such tools would "receive a jail term and significant penalties".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of abuse if they desired to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some paid-for functions—which reacts to X users' requests when they reference it in a post.
It is frequently used to offer commentary or additional context to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also able to edit an posted image through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been criticised for permitting users to produce images and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating graphic material of celebrities.
"X has been allowing the production and distribution of these images for months without taking any steps and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own terms of service bans "portraying likenesses of individuals in a pornographic fashion".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share private pictures or illegal content" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "necessary steps" to "lessen the risk" of users coming across unlawful material on their services and to delete it swiftly when they become aware of it.
