🔗 Share this article

The online platform X has sparked major outrage after users utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to manipulate photos of females by stripping their garments.

Multiple cases have been seen where the tool has been used to virtually strip female subjects to show them in bikinis non-consensually, as well as to insert them in sexualized scenarios.

Company Response and Regulatory Position

XAI, the company responsible for Grok, offered no comment to requests for comment, aside from an standard message stating "legacy media lies".

A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to ban nudification technology. Under a proposed criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "be subject to a jail term and significant penalties".

"X or Grok is capable of halting these types of abuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have impunity."

Regulator Stance and Platform Functionality

The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "evaluate the potential" of people viewing illegal content on their networks, but did not specify whether it was at this time examining X or Grok in concerning AI-generated pictures.

Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium functions—which answers X users' prompts when they tag it in a post.

It is often used to provide reactions or more background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted picture through its artificial intelligence picture modification feature.

Background of Criticism and Policy

The chatbot has been criticised for permitting users to generate images and videos with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was in the past alleged to have been involved in creating inappropriate material of public figures.

"X has been enabling the creation and spread of these images for a long time without taking any action and we have yet to see any intervention by regulators," Professor McGlynn added.

XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner".

In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or share deepfakes or illegal content" and stated this included sexual deepfakes made with AI.

It said platforms such as X were obligated to take "appropriate measures" to "minimize the danger" of users viewing illegal material on their services and to remove it promptly when they learn of it.