The online network X has sparked major outrage after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to change photos of women by taking off their garments.
Multiple cases have been seen where the system has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to put them in inappropriate scenarios.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm responsible for Grok, offered no comment to questions, except for an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that new laws is being proposed to prohibit image stripping software. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who distributed such tools would "face a jail term and substantial fines".
"X or Grok has the ability to stop these forms of abuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the risk" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some additional features—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is commonly used to give commentary or further context to other users' comments, but people on X are also able to modify an uploaded picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The system has been condemned for permitting users to generate photos and footage with explicit content and sexualised content, and it was in the past accused of creating sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the creation and sharing of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any challenge by regulators," the expert added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "depicting images of persons in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate measures" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing illegal content on their platforms and to delete it promptly when they are notified of it.
