The online network X has provoked significant backlash after users used its AI chatbot Grok to alter pictures of females by stripping their clothing.
Numerous examples have surfaced where the system has been used to digitally undress women to render them in bikinis without consent, as well as to insert them in inappropriate scenarios.
Developer Response and Regulatory Stance
XAI, the firm that created Grok, offered no comment to questions, aside from an standard response stating "traditional news outlets lies".
A Home Office spokesperson stated that new laws is being brought forward to outlaw nudification technology. Under a upcoming criminal offence, anyone who provided such technology would "receive a jail term and significant fines".
"X or Grok is capable of halting these forms of misuse if they wanted to," said a law professor, adding they "appear to enjoy a lack of consequences."
Oversight Body Stance and Platform Capabilities
The regulator Ofcom said technology companies must "assess the risk" of people seeing unlawful material on their platforms, but did not confirm whether it was presently looking into X or Grok in relation to AI-generated images.
Grok is a free chatbot—with some premium features—which responds to X users' requests when they mention it in a tweet.
It is often used to give reactions or additional background to other posters' remarks, but people on X are also capable of alter an posted picture through its AI image editing feature.
History of Controversy and Rules
The system has been condemned for permitting users to generate images and footage with nudity and sexually suggestive material, and it was earlier accused of generating inappropriate content of public figures.
"The platform has been allowing the creation and distribution of these pictures for a long time without taking any steps and we have not seen any challenge by oversight bodies," the expert added.
XAI's own acceptable use policy forbids "showing images of people in a graphic fashion".
In a statement, Ofcom said it was against the law to "generate or circulate private pictures or child sexual abuse material" and confirmed this applied to sexual deepfakes generated with AI.
It said platforms such as X were required to take "suitable actions" to "minimize the risk" of users viewing unlawful material on their platforms and to delete it quickly when they become aware of it.
