The online platform X has provoked major outrage after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter pictures of women by taking off their attire.
Numerous examples have surfaced where the system has been employed to remove clothing from women to make them appear in bikinis without permission, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the organization that created Grok, offered no comment to requests for comment, except for an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit image stripping tools. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "face a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with impunity."
Regulator Stance and Tool Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was presently investigating X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some additional functions—which reacts to X users' queries when they reference it in a message.
It is often used to offer commentary or further background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also can alter an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
Background of Criticism and Rules
The chatbot has been faulted for allowing users to produce photos and footage with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in generating sexually explicit material of public figures.
"The platform has been enabling the creation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not witnessed any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "depicting images of persons in a sexually explicit manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "suitable actions" to "reduce the risk" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to remove it promptly when they are notified of it.
