The online platform X has sparked major anger after individuals used its AI chatbot Grok to manipulate photos of females by taking off their garments.
Numerous instances have emerged where the tool has been employed to virtually strip female subjects to show them in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Reaction and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization that created Grok, did not respond to questions, except for an standard message stating "legacy media lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit nudification software. Under a new criminal offence, anyone who supplied such technology would "receive a prison sentence and heavy penalties".
"The platform could prevent these forms of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said platforms must "assess the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence images.
Grok is a free AI assistant—with some paid-for features—which responds to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is frequently used to offer reactions or further background to other users' comments, but people on X are also can edit an uploaded photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification tool.
History of Controversy and Policy
The system has been criticised for enabling users to create pictures and videos with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was earlier accused of making inappropriate material of public figures.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these pictures for months without taking any action and we have yet to see any action by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules prohibits "showing likenesses of people in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "suitable steps" to "lessen the danger" of users encountering unlawful content on their platforms and to take down it promptly when they learn of it.
