The social media network X has sparked major backlash after users utilized its AI chatbot Grok to change images of females by removing their clothing.
Several cases have emerged where the tool has been used to remove clothing from women to show them in bikinis without consent, as well as to place them in sexually explicit situations.
Company Response and Regulatory Position
XAI, the organization behind Grok, remained silent to questions, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A government spokesperson stated that legislation is being brought forward to outlaw image stripping technology. Under a new law, anyone who supplied such tools would "be subject to a jail term and significant fines".
"The platform could prevent these forms of abuse if they desired to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Regulator Position and Tool Capabilities
The communications watchdog Ofcom said technology companies must "consider the danger" of people viewing illegal content on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was at this time looking into X or Grok in relation to artificial intelligence pictures.
Grok is a no-cost artificial intelligence—with some paid-for features—which reacts to X users' prompts when they mention it in a message.
It is commonly used to offer commentary or additional background to other posters' comments, but people on X are also able to alter an posted photo through its AI image editing tool.
History of Criticism and Policy
The chatbot has been criticised for allowing users to generate pictures and clips with nudity and sexually suggestive content, and it was previously accused of making inappropriate material of celebrities.
"The platform has been enabling the generation and distribution of these images for months without taking any action and we have not seen any intervention by oversight bodies," Professor McGlynn added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy bans "portraying images of individuals in a graphic manner".
In a comment, Ofcom said it was unlawful to "make or distribute non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material" and stated this applied to sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said networks such as X were mandated to take "necessary steps" to "reduce the danger" of users encountering illegal material on their services and to remove it swiftly when they are notified of it.
