Elon Musk's online network X has caused major outrage after individuals utilized its artificial intelligence assistant Grok to alter photos of women by taking off their garments.
Numerous examples have been seen where the system has been used to digitally undress women to show them in swimwear non-consensually, as well as to place them in inappropriate scenarios.
Company Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, offered no comment to requests for comment, except for an standard message stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office official stated that legislation is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a new law, anyone who distributed such technology would "be subject to a prison sentence and substantial penalties".
"X or Grok could prevent these types of abuse if they chose to," said a law professor, adding they "seem to have impunity."
Oversight Body Stance and Tool Functionality
The communications watchdog Ofcom said tech firms must "consider the potential" of people accessing illegal content on their networks, but stopped short of confirming whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in regarding AI-generated images.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some paid-for functions—which answers X users' prompts when they mention it in a message.
It is often used to offer commentary or more background to other users' remarks, but people on X are also capable of modify an posted photo through its AI image editing feature.
History of Criticism and Policy
The system has been criticised for permitting users to generate photos and footage with explicit content and sexualised material, and it was earlier accused of making sexually explicit content of public figures.
"X has been permitting the generation and distribution of these images for a long time without taking any measures and we have yet to see any challenge by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own terms of service prohibits "portraying likenesses of persons in a pornographic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was illegal to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this covered sexual deepfakes created with AI.
It said networks such as X were required to take "appropriate actions" to "minimize the danger" of users encountering unlawful material on their platforms and to remove it swiftly when they are notified of it.
