The social media network X has provoked major outrage after individuals utilized its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate pictures of females by stripping their attire.
Several examples have surfaced where the technology has been used to digitally undress female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to place them in sexually explicit contexts.
Company Reaction and Legal Position
XAI, the company behind Grok, remained silent to requests for comment, other than an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit nudification technology. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who provided such tools would "face a prison sentence and significant fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Regulator Stance and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "evaluate the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was currently looking into X or Grok in regarding AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some premium features—which reacts to X users' requests when they reference it in a tweet.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or more context to other users' comments, but people on X are also capable of modify an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
Background of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been criticised for allowing users to create images and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making inappropriate content of celebrities.
"The platform has been allowing the generation and sharing of these pictures for months without taking any measures and we have not witnessed any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "portraying images of persons in a pornographic way".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or circulate non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable measures" to "lessen the risk" of users encountering illegal material on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they learn of it.
