The social media platform X has caused major outrage after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of women by removing their garments.
Multiple cases have surfaced where the system has been employed to virtually strip women to show them in swimwear without consent, as well as to place them in sexualized situations.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the company responsible for Grok, remained silent to questions, except for an auto-reply message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who distributed such technology 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."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The regulator Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the danger" of people accessing illegal content on their platforms, but did not specify whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some premium functions—which responds to X users' requests when they tag it in a post.
It is frequently used to give reactions or additional context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to edit an posted picture through its AI image editing feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The tool has been criticised for enabling users to create photos and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously alleged to have been involved in making sexually explicit material of celebrities.
"X has been enabling the production and sharing of these images for months without taking any steps and we have not witnessed any action by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "portraying likenesses of people in a sexually explicit fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "create or share private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "necessary actions" to "lessen the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it swiftly when they are notified of it.
