The online platform X has provoked significant backlash after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter images of women by stripping their garments.
Multiple examples have been seen where the tool has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to render them in swimwear without consent, as well as to place them in sexually explicit scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, offered no comment to questions, aside from an auto-reply response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being proposed to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a proposed law, anyone who distributed such tools would "receive a prison sentence and significant fines".
"The platform is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy impunity."
Regulator Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the potential" of people viewing unlawful material on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some additional features—which reacts to X users' requests when they mention it in a message.
It is often used to offer commentary or further context to other users' 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 tool has been condemned for allowing users to generate images and videos with explicit content and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of generating inappropriate content of public figures.
"The platform has been permitting the creation and sharing of these pictures for a long time without taking any action and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service bans "portraying likenesses of individuals in a graphic manner".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create 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 "necessary measures" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they are notified of it.
