Elon Musk's online network X has sparked significant outrage after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter images of women by stripping their garments.
Multiple instances have surfaced where the system has been used to virtually strip women to render them in bikinis without permission, as well as to place them in sexualized situations.
Developer Response and Legal Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, did not respond to requests for comment, other than an automatically-generated message stating "legacy media lies".
A government representative stated that legislation is being introduced to prohibit image stripping technology. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a prison sentence and significant penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these forms of misuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said platforms must "assess the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but stopped short of confirming whether it was currently investigating X or Grok in regarding AI-generated pictures.
Grok is a no-cost AI assistant—with some paid-for features—which reacts to X users' queries when they mention it in a message.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or further context to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of edit an posted picture through its AI image editing feature.
Background of Controversy and Rules
The tool has been criticised for permitting users to create pictures and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of making inappropriate material of public figures.
"X has been allowing the creation and spread of these images for months without taking any measures and we have yet to see any challenge by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own terms of service forbids "depicting likenesses of individuals in a graphic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was against the law to "generate or share deepfakes or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this included sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said services such as X were mandated to take "suitable actions" to "lessen the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their services and to take down it promptly when they become aware of it.
