Elon Musk's social media platform X has caused significant outrage after people utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of women by removing their clothing.
Several cases have surfaced where the tool has been used to digitally undress female subjects to make them appear in swimwear without permission, as well as to place them in sexualized scenarios.
Company Response and Legal Stance
XAI, the company that created Grok, offered no comment to questions, other than an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said Clare McGlynn, adding they "operate with a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Position and Platform Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "evaluate the risk" of people accessing unlawful material on their services, but did not specify whether it was presently examining X or Grok in relation to AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost chatbot—with some premium features—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a post.
It is often used to give commentary or further background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted photo through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been condemned for allowing users to create pictures and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was earlier alleged to have been involved in creating sexually explicit material of celebrities.
"The platform has been allowing the creation and distribution of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have yet to see any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own usage rules bans "depicting likenesses of persons in a graphic way".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "generate or distribute non-consensual intimate images or illegal content" and clarified this covered sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said services such as X were required to take "necessary steps" to "reduce the risk" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they learn of it.
