Elon Musk's social media network X has provoked major anger after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by removing their clothing.
Multiple examples have surfaced where the tool has been used to digitally undress female subjects to render them in swimwear without consent, as well as to insert them in sexualized contexts.
Developer Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the company behind Grok, remained silent to inquiries, other than an automatically-generated response stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy fines".
"The platform could prevent these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium features—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a post.
It is often used to provide commentary or further background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been faulted for allowing users to generate photos and footage with nudity and sexualised content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in creating inappropriate material of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the generation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have not seen any action by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules forbids "showing likenesses of individuals in a sexually explicit manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this included explicit AI images made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "suitable steps" to "lessen the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they become aware of it.
