The online platform X has provoked significant outrage after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by stripping their garments.
Several instances have surfaced where the system has been used to digitally undress women to render them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in inappropriate contexts.
Developer Reaction and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, other than an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that new laws is being introduced to ban nudification technology. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "assess the risk" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but did not confirm whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some paid-for features—which answers X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to provide reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been condemned for enabling users to produce pictures and clips with explicit content and sexually suggestive content, and it was in the past accused of creating graphic content of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the generation and sharing of these images for a long time without taking any steps and we have not seen any action by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service bans "showing likenesses of individuals in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or circulate deepfakes or illegal content" and stated this covered explicit AI images made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were mandated to take "necessary actions" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it swiftly when they are notified of it.
